Co-founder of Takutea O Kiva Ltd (TOK Consulting), a Cook Islands based consultancy company that works exclusively on projects occurring in the pacific, with a team wholly comprised of indigenous pacific based professionals.
Positions held include CEO of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce, Business Operations Manager for Avaroa Cable Limited Cook Islands, Business Improvement Manager for Southern Cross Health Society NZ, and Project Manager for Vodafone NZ.
Passionate about climate change, disaster risk management, business mentoring, and the holistic involvement of indigenous communities in Country planning activities. Advocate at heart for openly sharing knowledge and forming new connections.
Development professional with over sixteen years of experience living and working in the Pacific region, namely Samoa. A national-level consultant specializing in project management, rural livelihoods development, community outreach, policy and statistical analysis and digital innovation in various thematic areas related to international development such as agriculture, environment and industry. Over eight years managing public affairs, political, economic, and military portfolios for U.S. Embassy Apia. Experienced managing numerous grants, programs, media campaigns, development projects, budgets, volunteer placements, and humanitarian missions involving various federal agencies, host nation governments, and civil society organizations. Experienced office leader in a cross-cultural setting. Excellent at multi-tasking and delivering quality work in a timely manner.
James Lewis, Director of Intercoastal Consulting, is a certified practicing civil engineer with over 15 years of experience specialising in coastal engineering throughout Australasia and across the Pacific. He has a broad knowledge of coastal protection design, integrated coastal management and surf amenity. James’s skills extend outside the office where he has led large-scale metocean deployments, analysing the data captured in the field to calibrate numerical models used to inform coastal design.
He has focussed the last 10 years of his career on working in Small Island Developing States (SIDs) in climate change adaptation, concerned primarily with developing climate-resilient coastal protection. James aspires to see the design phase through to implementation; having supported procurement, and contracting and undertaken construction supervision on large projects in remote locations. He aims to provide value and support through the complete project lifecycle including the social, financial and institutional aspects of these projects, endeavoring to understand the administrative, governmental and funding mechanisms specific to each country and community and their relation to the delivery of a successful project.
Using his knowledge of coastal engineering, the ocean and the environment, James’ primary endeavor is to assist coastal communities most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
- 4 years in the finance industry
- Large scale project management change projects/programmes across diverse sectors and industry such as education, organisational change, social development, corruption, gender, equality, disability, social inclusion, equity, and Pacific development
- Capability development expertise - training and development proven experience in human centred design and train the trainer concepts.
- Masters in Advanced Leadership Practice (Massey University NZ)
- Specialise in building high performing teams by living ones vision, mission and culture
May 1998 to date: Managing Director/Business Consultant, Resort Support, Fiji - Management services and consultancy to resorts and dive operations. All of the positions after May 1998 below were completed as a consultancy through Resort Support
May 2023 to November 2023: Tourism and coral reef resilience specialist – Fiji / ADB & PSDI – Develop a tourism focused situation analysis of potential pilot sites in Fiji, built on the ADB baseline assessment of potential pilot sites, to develop financial and insurance products as part of efforts to improve the resilience of Fiji's tourism sector and economy.
November 2022 to June 2023: Tourism Business Development Specialist, Fiji National Sustainable Tourism Framework /Fiji MTCA & IFC – IFC work with a consortium, working directly with Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation on the formulation of Fiji’s National Sustainable Tourism Framework, as a successor plan of the Fijian Tourism 2021 strategy.
August 2022 to November 2023: National Tourism Business Development Specialist – Fiji / International Centre for Environmental Management & WBG - Assessment of Needs and Opportunities to Improve Ecosystem Resilience and Sustainable Tourism in Fiji.
January 2022 to July 2022: Tourism Consultant, YCP Solidance/Fiji & IFC - Fiji Tourism Investment Mapping: National Level COVID-19 Recovery & Greening & Vanua Levu Destination Development. Tourism Expert.
August 2021 to January 2022: Tourism Consultant, RLA Global, Dubai/Fiji & IFC - Fiji Tourism Investment Mapping: National Level COVID-19 Recovery & Greening & Vanua Levu Destination Development. SME and Sustainable Tourism Expert.
May 2021 – July 2021 : Hospitality operational management consultancy services for the private sector of the Kyrgyz Republic, World Bank Group/IFC - The consultancy is to provide knowledge, technical assistance and support to tourism private sector of the Kyrgyz Republic in order to increase efficiency of business through improvement of tourist products and offers, better marketing and promotion, and enhanced business operations as well as facilitation and outreach of investment projects. Specific focus is to be given to COVID-19 recovery efforts.
August 2017 to July 2021 : Part-time Fellow, Discipline of Tourism & Hospitality Management, Faculty of Business & Economic, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji – Re-designed courses, coordinated courses and taught all levels of undergraduate students.
• TS309 Tourism Business Entrepreneurship
• TS311: Sustainable Tourism Development
• TS109: Food and Beverage Services & Cost Control
• TS208: Operational Issues for Hospitality
March 2019 to date: Approved Service Provider for Business Link Pacific, Fiji- New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) : BLP ASP for both financial management (installing and facilitating Xero Software conversions) and website building for e-commerce solutions for SME.
January 2016 to September 2016: Development Consultant – Destination Marketing Organisations MDF/Australia DFAT supported project to develop and launch 2 new DMOs, Tourism Suncoast and Tourism Kadavu., from inception to operational plans.
• Bring together all parties to form new DMOs
• Develop legal and financial frameworks for the new organisations
• Develop the strategic and tactical marketing for the start up DMOs for 1st year.
January 2015 to May 2015: Strategic Marketing Consultant – Talanoa Treks MDF/Australia DFAT supported project to analyse and further develop the strategic and tactical marketing for the start up ecotourism venture.
• Market Assessment: Identification and clarification of the proposed Market Segments to establish their scope and viability
• Market Identification and Segmentation: Once the size and scope of each market segment has been identified and surveyed, the Directors will be able to make informed decisions on which segments to target and prioritise them.
• Marketing Campaign Recommendations: The recommended marketing campaign specific to these segments will be presented and launched (or set-up to launch at Directors discretion).
• Ongoing Monitoring and Assessment: After the campaigns are launched, on going online tools will be maintained to track market needs on an ongoing basis as online pre and post walk surveys with clients.
January 2013 to date: Managing Director – The Army of Flying Monkeys – Online marketing services and campaign management for the small-medium business community in the South Pacific with a small team of developers and marketing professionals. Specialise in on-time delivery of online marketing campaigns including:
• WordPress development and deployment (guaranteed within 30 days)
• Online advertising campaign management (PPC, AdWords, niche markets)
• CRM solution deployment and email marketing campaign management
August 2007 – Dec 2012: Business Development Director, Matava Fiji's Premier Eco Resort – Senior Executive Director responsible for strategic planning, marketing and business development. Primary directive was business development and growth.
• Designed and project managed $1 million, 6 month rebuild of central complex of Matava Resort
• Increased retail sales and profit by designing and installing new boutique in main complex
• Reduced costs and increased safety by designing and implementing new Food and Beverage Management System (including HACCAP)
• Reduced accounts receivable by recommending and implementing MYOB Accounting Plus including Payroll as Accounting system
• Increased occupancy from 59% 2007, to 64% 2008 (to date) by designing and implementing new Strategic and Tactical Marketing Plans
November 2004 – July 2006: General Manager, Active Fiji/Tui Tai Adventure Cruises, Fiji – Senior Executive Manager responsible to Board of Directors for strategic planning, operations and crew of 36. Primary directive was business development and growth.
• Designed and project managed $1 million, 4 month refit of all accommodations/cabins on Tui Tai adventure cruise ship
• Increased on-board sales and profit by designing and installing in-house dive operation on cruise ship
• Reduced costs and increased safety by designing and implementing new Food and Beverage Management System (including HACCAP)
• Reduced accounts receivable by recommending and implementing MYOB Premier v9 including Payroll as Accounting system
• Increased occupancy from 62% 2005, to 84% 2006 (mean) by designing and implementing new Marketing Plan and Reservations System
April-May 2005: Hotel Management Consultant, Matava Resort, Kadavu, Fiji - Senior consultant to design and implement hotel solutions while training 3 new Directors/Owners in Hotel Operations.
• Developed Business Development Plan and 5 year financial projections
• Reduced costs and increased safety by designing and implementing new Food and Beverage Management System (including HACCAP)
• Increased occupancy by developing and implementing new Marketing Plan 2005-2006
November 2003 – November 2004: Safety Management Consultant, Shangri-La Fijian Resort, Fiji – Senior consultant and designer contracted to design and implement a custom proprietary Shangri-La Watersports Safety Management System (SWSMS)
• Achieved safety target within time and under budget
• Implemented and trained 28 staff in Fiji’s first structured Watersports Safety program
July 2003 – November 2003: Business Management Consultant, Beqa Adventure Divers, Fiji – Contracted to develop the Business plan for a new dive centre as a specialist shark feeding operation
• Developed and implemented business plan and 5 year budget projection for dive centre within time and budget
Dr George Carter is a Research Fellow at the Department of Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University (ANU). He is also the Director for the ANU Pacific Institute a large network hub of scholars in the university - connecting and promoting Pacific research, teaching and training at the university.
The broad focus of George’s research interest explores Pacific island peoples’ and states influence and agency in international and regional politics. His research interests explore international politics of (negotiations, security, gender, finance, justice, science and traditional knowledge) climate change, geopolitics and regionalism(s), as well as the foreign policy and diplomacies of small island states in the Pacific. Furthermore, he is interested in indigenous philosophy and non-western international relations that focus on the longstanding history, practices, protocols and principles of Pacific political communities, contributing to Oceanic Diplomacy.
He has undertaken research in multilateral forums including climate change, security, ocean, sustainable development negotiations, as well as in regional organisations and national governments across the Pacific. George teaches university and executive courses in international relations, diplomacy, security, environment and climate change, policy, cultural communication, and Pacific studies.
His research and teaching interests are informed by his education, work experience in the Pacific and upbringing through his proud Samoan Tuvaluan, i-Kiribati, Chinese, British ancestry. He serves his family and communities in Samoa, where he holds the matai/chiefly title of Salā.
Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting & Business Tax Law, University of New South Wales, Australia 1999,
Master of Business Administration, USP Fiji, 2007
Member. Samoa Institute of Accountants
IAP2 Certified
Krishneil Narayan is the Executive Director and Principal Consultant at Sustainable Future Consultancy in Fiji.
As a development professional with 18 years of experience, he specializes in sustainability and climate policy formulation, translating the policies into activities that benefit communities and accessing climate finance for Pacific Island countries.
As an advisor, Krishneil provides his expertise in climate and disaster-resilient development project design, implementation, and evaluations to various governments, NGOs, development organizations, and the private sector.
Krishneil previously worked as a climate change negotiator at the United Nations for over a decade, prioritizing the needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and contributing to the adoption of the 2013 Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, as well as the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015.
Previous clients have included: Oxfam Australia, Bread for the World (Germany), Pacific Islands Climate Action Network, UNDP, UN Environment, the Pacific Community (SPC), UK Government (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), New Zealand Government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Fiji Government (Ministry of Women), International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Joe is an experienced policy advisor and strategist who has worked on climate issues in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the Indo-Pacific since 206. He is currently working on the NZ Emissions Reduction Plan, National Adaptation Plan and advising on mitigation, Article 6 and International Carbon Markets for NZ's Climate Directorate.
His previous work includes providing diplomatic, strategic and technical advice for Pacific leaders at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), providing advice and designing campaign strategies for regional and international civil society organisations (incl. Greenpeace, Caritas, BOGA, Fossil Fuel Treaty), and helping clients achieve their strategic objectives through cross-sector engagement and partnerships.
Joe is a Samoan and has sound understanding of the cultural nuances required to engage with Pacific leaders and communities and has an extensive professional network among Climate professionals, civil society and community groups which enables him to work collaboratively throughout the region to achieve the objectives of his clients and Government partners.
