More speakers for event
THE Women Entrepreneurs Business Council’s (WEBC) is one of 10 councils under the Fiji Commerce & Employers Federation (FCEF) and its 2nd WIN Convention has an excellent line up of up to 20 prominent and eminent speakers spread across the two days with seven panel discussions, including a parallel panel session on the second day, Saturday, March 25.
The WIN Convention will be officially opened by the Minister for Women, Children & Poverty Alleviation, Lynda Tabuya on Friday, March 24 and following her will be Adimaimalaga Tafuna’i from Samoa delivering her keynote address. Mrs Tafuna’i is a daughter from Fiji and was influential in setting up a program to organically certify farms to add value to the virgin coconut oil being produced by Samoan families, resulting in a fair-trade contract with cosmetic giant The Body Shop.
With the theme Sustainable Solutions for Success, delegates attending this year’s WIN Convention can expect to gain immense benefits in learning and networking between women entrepreneurs and business leaders who range from the micro to corporate level. WEBC will also be launching its Green Policy at the WIN Convention, which is part of their 20222027 strategic plan.
WIN Convention Chairperson Sharyne Fong said, “we are thrilled that the WIN Convention registration has surpassed the expected 200 delegates that we hoped to attract, and now it is a matter of delegates securing their place by paying their registration fee to ensure they get a seat at the convention”.
This week we feature more speakers for the upcoming WIN Convention.
Lenora Qereqeretabua
Lenora Qereqeretabua is a Fijian broadcaster and politician. In December 2022, she was elected deputy speaker of the Parliament of Fiji. She is also the Assistant Minister for Housing and Local Government and is one of four women members of Parliament.
Ms Qereqeretabua was born in Dravuni, Kadavu and is the daughter of former Miss Fiji Eta Uluvula Qereqeretabua. In 1988, following in the footsteps of her mother, Lenora was crowned Miss Fiji.
She is widely recognised around the Pacific region as the host of the longest running regional television show The Pacific Way which is still produced in Fiji and shown in over 20 Pacific nations and territories. She has also worked as a public relations consultant and serves on the board of Save the Children Fiji. In 2015 she was appointed to
Lenora Qereqeretabua.
the National Flag Committee. During the election campaign she promoted women’s rights and for more women in Parliament.
As an MP she advocated for a more professional media and the restoration of democracy in local government, as well as for the use of the Fijian language in Parliament. In supporting our communities, and in particular advocating for children with cancer, in July 2019 she cut off her buiniga-styled hair to raise money for children with cancer.
Lenora is known as Fiji’s most popular choice for master of ceremony and was the MC of choice for both Government and private sector functions and events. She has a warm personality and is able to mingle with people from all walks of life; a trait she credits her “hospitality industry up-bringing”. Sashi Kiran
Sashi Kiran is a Fijian politician, social entrepreneur and activist, who since December 2022 has served as the Assistant Minister of
Woman, Children and Poverty Alleviation. She is also one of four women members of Parliament.
She is the founder and former director of the renowned non-profit community organisation known as Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises and Development (FRIEND). In 2015 she was appointed a member of Fiji’s Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission.
Ms Kiran worked as a journalist for Communications Fiji Ltd before joining the Fiji Council of Social Services. After the 2000 coup d’état she founded FRIEND in 2001 to create income generating opportunities for rural and semi-urban settlements and villages, with a particular focus on youth and people with special needs. Some of FRIEND’s projects include a line of chutney made by women in rural communities with raw ingredients purchased from small-holder farmers, flour made from local crops, greeting cards made by people with disabilities and herbal teas. In 2017 the organisation opened a restaurant specialising in traditional Fijian and Indian food, Tokani, which is located at FRIEND’s head quarters along the Kings Highway in Tuvu, Lautoka. FRIEND also works on disaster response initiatives, rehabilitation and healing, and peace building projects.
Ms Kiran has worked with the Commonwealth Foundation on a regional report on citizens and good governance and served on the executive council of international NGO CIVICUS as well as Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education. In 2017 she served on the Commonwealth Elections Observer Team for the 2017 elections in Papua New Guinea.
Leanne Hunter
Leanne Hunter is the managing director and is the creative director of J Hunter Pearls Fiji. She is also an avid travel photographer when she is not so engaged in jewellery designing.
J Hunter Pearls Fiji, a Savusavu-based pearl farm, was initiated in 1999 by her husband Justin Hunter, who hails from Savusavu, with the dream to produce pearls in colourful hues as never seen before, a company statement said. Choosing quality over quantity, J Hunter Pearls became Fiji’s first successful commercial pearl producer and exporter of Fiji Pearls, the statement said.
Christine Lyons
Christine Lyons is the general manager of Fiji Times Pte Ltd. With maternal links to Dravuni in Tailevu, Christine Lyons is a mum to three beautiful girls.
She has just under 25 years on mainstream senior management television broadcast and newspaper experience, having started her 16-year career in television during the fledgling early days of analogue television in Fiji. She gradually transitioned into the role of agency sales co-ordinator, and later into direct sales and eventually as team leader sales and then as head of sales and marketing overlooking a team of highly skilled and specialised broadcast salespeople in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Ms Lyons expanded her media credentials by joining Fiji’s oldest and most credible newspaper brand The Fiji Times in 2015 as national sales manager during arguably one of its most trying periods of media and advertising censorship and restrictions since taking up the role of general manager in 2019 until now.
Jaoji Koroi
Jaoji Koroi is the chief executive officer of the Fijian Holdings Group. He has vast experience in the commercial sector and a demonstrated track record of strategic and operational leadership, delivering outstanding long-term business goals, growth and sustainability.
Prior to his appointment at Fijian Holdings Group, Mr Koroi was CEO of the Fiji National Provident Fund and has held various positions within the fund ever since he joined in 2009. He started his career with the Reserve Bank of Fiji; and was a former executive of FHL and an executive director for the RB Patel Group.
With just two weeks to go before the WIN Convention gets underway, Sharyne added: “planning is progressing well and delegates can expect an exciting two days. The culmination of the convention will be a celebration of WEBC’s 10th Anniversary over dinner with our guest of honour on Saturday, March 25, 2023.”