The Fiji Institute of Chartered Accountants (FICA) has completed its fourth Senior Executive Women in Leadership Program, bringing the total number of women who have participated in the initiative to 91.
The four-day program, held at Suva’s Grand Pacific Hotel, brought together 26 women from the financial, corporate and academic sectors to strengthen their leadership capabilities and prepare them for greater responsibilities within their organisations.
FICA council member and chair of its Professional Development and Women Initiatives Subcommittee, Reshma Chand, said the program reflected the institute’s commitment to promoting women’s representation on corporate boards and in senior leadership positions.
She said improving women’s participation in leadership required a collective effort across Fiji’s business community.
“The more people that do that, the more outcome you will get in terms of promoting women in leadership roles,” Ms Chand said.
The program covered professional networking, communication, resilience, risk management, organisational culture, financial management and corporate governance.
Ms Chand said the training was designed to extend beyond theoretical learning, with participants required to develop practical projects demonstrating how they would apply their newly acquired skills in their workplaces and communities.
The projects were intended to help participants implement changes within their organisations while empowering others through the knowledge and experience gained during the program.
She said the initiative was supported by partners who provided curriculum and resources, as well as a government grant that helped fund its delivery.
Ms Chand said the program would continue, with women from outside FICA’s membership also encouraged to participate.
Interested applicants could submit expressions of interest to FICA ahead of future registrations, allowing the institute to gauge demand for subsequent programs.
She said participants were expected to carry their learning into their professional lives rather than regard the workshop as a standalone exercise.
The initiative comes amid wider efforts to strengthen women’s representation in corporate leadership and develop a broader pipeline of capable executives across Fiji’s business sector.
