Attendees during the 2025 Fiji Business Excellence Conference (FBEC) at Holiday Inn, Suva last Friday.
SUVA, FIJI – The 2025 Fiji Business Excellence Conference (FBEC) kicked off on Friday at the Holiday Inn in Suva, with a strong call for inclusive, innovation-driven productivity to shape a more resilient Fiji.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Paul Iji, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation at the Fiji National University (FNU), commended the National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC) for its 26-year commitment to promoting a culture of quality and productivity through the Fiji Business Excellence Awards.
“Fiji must improve its productivity, not by working harder, but by working smarter, more creatively, and more inclusively,” Professor Iji said.
“True business excellence today must include sustainability, innovation, and equity at its core.”
He emphasised the critical role of research and innovation in addressing national challenges, calling for deeper collaboration between academia, industry, and government to co-create practical solutions.
He highlighted the alignment between this year’s conference theme “Driving Inclusive and Innovation-Led Productivity for a Resilient Fiji”and FNU’s Strategic Plan 2024–2026, particularly its focus on renewable energy, digital transformation, agritech, and climate resilience.
A key highlight of the conference was the presentation by Mr George Wong, Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Resource Person and international consultant from Singapore. Speaking on the topic “Embedding Business Excellence for Inclusive, Innovation-Led Productivity,” Mr Wong shared how Singapore embedded productivity principles across the public and private sectors.
He showcased Singapore’s success through enablers such as strong leadership, equal access to lifelong learning (via SkillsFuture Singapore), inclusive digital tools (like the LifeSG app), and strategic use of business excellence frameworks. These elements, he explained, have contributed to sustained trust, reduced skills inequality, and world-class performance in Singapore.
Mr Wong also confirmed that APO will continue to strengthen their collaboration with FNU’s NTPC, supporting Fiji’s efforts in building an innovation-ready, productivity-focused nation.
The one-day conference also featured insightful presentations by local business leaders and sector experts including:
Each shared strategies and case studies on enhancing organisational performance through innovation, digitalisation, and people-centred practices.
The conference brought together leaders from the private sector, government, academia, and civil society, creating a platform for knowledge-sharing, partnership building, and national capacity development.
As Professor Iji concluded in his keynote, “Productivity without innovation leads to stagnation, and innovation without inclusion creates inequality. We must strike a balance that brings everyone along.”
END