By RANOBA BAOA
Westpac Fiji and Vodafone Fiji have once again pledged their support to the Certified Public Account (CPA) Australia-Fiji branch congress for the next three years.
In doing so, $60,000 will go for the organisation and setting up for this year’s CPA Congress themed ‘A World of Opportunity’.
This was witnessed at the official media launch of the eventyesterday and the sponsorship deal of about $200,000 for the next three years.
The congress is set to be held at the Sheraton Fiji Resorton Denarau Island from August 24 to 25 and expects to have 350 participants Fiji-wide.
CPA Australia-Fiji branch president, Ravendran Achari, said the theme coincides with the congress’ aim to provide opportunities for business leaders.
“The 2013 CPA Congress is a conference of innovative thinkers and offers expert and industry insights and plans to expose those opportunities and reveal them to the wider business community,” he said.
“Smart leaders and businesses embrace opportunities that may seem overwhelming to others.”
International speakers lined up
Mr Achari encouraged our innovative thinkers and industry leaders to attend this year’s event to hear directly from expert speakers they had lined up.
This year, seven international speakers are lined up from insurance executive personnel, property and computer, marketing internal auditing, mining, and even healthy living experts.
Issues to be addressed
Vodafone Fiji director Corporate & Business Marketing, Ronald Prasad, said: “Our role is basically to facilitate and have forums like these happen and a lot of matters discussed in this forum are critical for the everyday business in terms of CPA education.”
Westpac Fiji general manager, Adrian Hughes, said the congress, similar to one like the Fiji Accountants Congress, provides the platform for dynamic dialogue and networking.
“It helps assist decision-makers and business professionals plus it also provides an opportunity for relationship-building within the corporate and business sector,” Mr Hughes said.
“We strongly believe that we can assist businesses grow by assisting them to identify opportunities.”
Speakers for 2013 CPA Congress
- Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama – Prime Minister, and Minister for Finance
- Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum- Attorney-General
- Ludde Ingvall – a marketing consultant and professional yachtsman who will speak on the ‘Success of Team Work in a Competitive Environment’
- Ric Willmot – from CPA Australia will be speaking on ‘Thinking Differently, the Hidden Factor’
- Monte Huebsch – the google guru will speak on ‘Opportunities Through the Internet’
- Rick Hamilton – chief executive Tourism Fiji will speak on ‘Success through Marketing Tourism’
- Tom Mcleod – former head of Internal Audit, Rio Tinto will speak on ‘Lessons Learnt from a Mining Boom’
- John Clayton – Pacific Region head & chief executive Australia Marsh Pty Ltd will speak on ‘Insurance Industry, Challenges & Opportunities’
- Chris Gray – expert adviser on Wealth Creation will speak on ‘Building you own Portfolio’
From left: Westpac Fiji head of marketing, Nirmala Nambiar, CPA Australia-Fiji branch president, Ravendran Achari, CPA Australia-Fiji branch treasurer, Neil Underhill and Vodafone Fiji director Corporate & Business Marketing, Ronald Prasad. Photo: RONALD KUMAR