Investment Fiji chairperson Jenny Seeto has called for confidence and critical thinking in workplaces for women in the accounting space.
During the Fiji Institute of Chartered Accountants ‘Women in Leadership’ panel discussion in Suva last week, Ms Seeto shared her personal journey and noted internal barriers women faced such as the lack of confidence.
“I feel the barriers are ourselves, our own selves, our own women, if we lack the confidence in what we do, and we don’t have the necessary knowledge, skills, experience, we are not confident,” Ms Seeto said.
Merchant Finance Limited CEO Veilawa Rereiwasaliwa said the financial services sector had progressed in promoting gender inclusion.
However, he said the financial service industry lacked mentorship for women, especially with the predominance of male mentors in leadership positions.
“I could say that in the financial services industry, we are ahead of the curve when it comes to inclusion,” Mr Rereiwasaliwa said.
He said organisations should also focus on hiring more women at the junior levels to build a stronger pipeline of female talent for future leadership roles.
Baka Books founder Akanisi Nabalarua said women often faced challenges in asserting themselves in professional settings, which were influenced by societal norms and family dynamics.
She said mentorship was important, not only for personal career growth but also for creating a culture of sponsorship allowing women to step into decision-making roles.
Ms Nabalarua called for greater focus on addressing the socioeconomic barriers women faced, noting initiatives like the Marama Finance at MFL were essential for empowering women in marginalised communities, and enabled them to thrive in business leadership roles.
