WESTPAC Fiji chief executive officer Shane Smith has been appointed chairman of the Association of Banks in Fiji (ABIF).
Mr Smith started his 40-year long career with the bank since joining as an 18-year-old customer service officer at the Suva branch.
He has held senior roles across Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and Australia for Westpac Pacific.
In 2022, he made history at Westpac Fiji when he became the first local chief executive officer in more than a century.
“Through this leadership, he has been a strong advocate for financial inclusion, innovation and community empowerment, driving initiatives such as the Westpac Women and Girls Education Grant (WGEG) – a program supporting education opportunities for girls and women across Fiji, and other community programs that foster sustainable economic growth and improve lives across the Pacific region,” the ABIF executive board stated.
“His journey from a young recruit to a respected banking executive exemplifies dedication, resilience and a deep passion for making a positive impact in Fiji and beyond.”
The board also announced the appointment of Bank of newly-appointed Bank of Baroda Fiji chief executive officer Udesh Kumar as ABIF’s deputy chairman.
Mr Kumar has been associated with the Bank of Baroda since 1999 and was appointed to the position of CEO Fiji operations in March early this year.
He is originally from India and Fiji is his second overseas assignment following his earlier tenure with the bank’s operations in Tanzania.
According to ABIF, Mr Kumar was an agriculture graduate and a certified associate of the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance.
It stated over the course of his 26-year career with the bank, he held various key leadership roles including branch head, department head, regional head and country head, and had contributed significantly across multiple domains of banking.
The ABIF appointments took effect on March 5, 2025.
Note: This article was first published on the print version of the Fiji Times dated June 21, 2025
