RESERVE Bank of Fiji (RBF) deputy Governor Esala Masitabua has resumed his position with the central bank after returning from a two-year secondment with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC, US.
Mr Masitabua served as advisor in the Southeast Asia Group (SEAVG) from November 2023 to October this year.
During his secondment, he was involved in providing macroeconomic and financial policy advice to the executive board, coordinating communication between IMF staff and SEAVG authorities, and representing the constituency in small states development discussions.
He was also advisor for Tonga at the IMF during his tenure.
The RBF stated that experience had provided valuable insights into global economic and financial challenges, as well as the IMF’s operational procedures.
RBF Governor Ariff Ali said the secondment of central bank officials to esteemed international bodies like the IMF was a crucial part of their capacity-building and leadership development strategy.
“We are delighted to welcome Mr Masitabua back and look forward to the application of his enhanced expertise to contribute to the RBF’s vision and missions,” Mr Ali said.
“Upon his return, Mr Masitabua will resume his duties as deputy Governor at the RBF, where the expertise he gained at the IMF will be leveraged to strengthen the bank’s surveillance capacity, enhanced policy formulation, and foster ongoing succession planning and leadership development.”
Mr Masitabua holds a Master of Business Administration, a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics, a Postgraduate Certificate in Human Resources Management from the USP, and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Griffith University in Australia.
