Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) has appointed two female professionals to key government boards, while also conducting training sessions for its directors to enhance their capabilities and governance practices.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Responsible for the Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC), Albert Nicholas this week announced the appointment of Olivia Heather to the CIIC Board.

“Olivia Heather will be bringing considerable experience and will help continue the great work that CIIC is doing,” Minister Nicholas said in a statement.

Heather, who is the chief finance and operations officer at Vonnias, has previously served as a director for the Bank of the Cook Islands Board for six years. She is also a former chartered accountant with relevant corporate governance experience in the public and private sectors.

Heather holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, a Bachelor of Law and a Graduate Diploma in Finance Specialisation and has strong knowledge of accounting, finance, management and leadership practices in the Cook Islands.

CIIC also announced the appointment of Simone Fe’ao to the Bank of the Cook Islands Board.

Simone Fe’ao. CIIC/24071206

Fe’ao is a chartered accountant with extensive experience working in accounting practices, the private and public sectors, as well as extensive NGO experience.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and has a good knowledge of finance regulations and standards in the Cook Islands.

Both directors’ appointments are effective as of July 1, 2024.

CIIC chairperson Tangata Fletcher Melvin said: “The CIIC Group and Board are looking forward to working alongside both Olivia and Simone. I’m sure they will both prove to be valuable additions to our CIIC team.”

Meanwhile, since 2018, CIIC has continued its ongoing investment in training and developing board directors within the CIIC Group. The most recent director training session was held from June 17 to 20, 2024 and included the following:

• A public information session for those interested in holding a directorship role within the CIIC Group. Sessions like this help build up the CIIC Directors Database, which currently has more than 150 people registered.
• A workshop for CIIC Group Chairpersons covering best practices in building and developing boards, external stakeholders, board culture, board director performance review, and working arrangements with the CEO and Board Secretaries.
• A session for CIIC Group Board Secretaries covering administration and Diligent Board Books Training, as well as a refresher on their role as secretaries. There was also an opportunity to network with the CIIC Group Chairs and Deputy Chairs.
• A session for CIIC Group CEOs covering CEO-Chair-Board relationships, best practices, strategies, and challenges.

Melvin said: “We were fortunate to have these sessions run by our lead facilitator and proud Cook Islander Caren Rangi. Caren has a wealth of experience as a professional public sector governance practitioner and a former CIIC Board director.”

“Training sessions like these are important to ensure that our directors are best equipped to undertake their duties effectively for our Cook Islands people. They also allow directors to stay up to date with the latest governance developments and share their experiences across the Group.”

• Jaewynn McKay/CIIC