For the first time the award for Human Resource Leader of the Year at the Marriott International APEC (Asia Pacific Excluding China) Annual HR Awards has been won by a HR leader from Fiji.
Cluster director of Human Resources Fiji Farrah Shazleen was announced as the recipient of the award at the Annual HR Awards event held virtually on October 19, 2022.
On November 7, 2022, the Cluster Human Resource team also achieved an additional award as Team Resilience of the Year – 2021 at the ANZP Human Resources Conference held at The Westin Brisbane, Australia.
Multi-property vice president Pacific Islands Marriott International, general manager Westin and Sheraton Resorts Neeraj Chadha said: “These awards are a great achievement for Fiji as it recognises the calibre of our team and the quality of work undertaken that spearheads our People Strategy. It is a milestone accolade considering the unprecedented challenges presented by the global pandemic and the scenarios that had to be navigated behind the scenes to ensure that our associates were taken care of.”
Area Director of Human Resources, ANZP Marriott International Natasha Rasheed said: “Farrah is a high-performing leader and role model for the Marriott International Brand Values and Culture. She is a strong business partner and advocator of high ethical and compliance standards; demonstrating resilience throughout the pandemic she volunteered her time and expertise to ensure that the Marriott Fiji properties were able to reopen smoothly and deliver on the Marriott world-renown first-class service.”
A key initiative steered by the management teams, Ms Shazleen and the Human Resources Team is the Fiji Marriott Training Academy, an intensive program that encourages local talent growth and upskilling as well as cross-skilling across a range of disciplines.
The Human Resources Team also spearheads the Solia Lesu program that is the Marriott International Fiji Resorts’ local volunteer program led by Ms Shazleen and the senior leadership team to distribute hot meals and ration packs, shopping vouchers, school stationary, linen and beddings to health centres, hospitals and orphanages.
Through innovation and local stakeholder partnerships, the team persists to focus on its People Strategy and support initiatives such as Pride Week, Blood Drive, Pinktober and Movember.
