Networking and Inaugural Session on Monday, December 13, 2021
Venkat Raman
Auckland, December 10, 2021
Prominent businesspersons, entrepreneurs and professionals of Fijian origin have got together to establish the ‘Fiji Business Network,’ which aims, other things, to promote links with their counterparts in Fiji.
Registered as a Not-for-Profit organisation, the Fiji Business Network will be launched at an event scheduled to be held on Monday, December 13, 2021 at 6 pm at the Maungakiekie Golf Club located at 5 Anita Avenue in Mt Roskill Auckland.
Tickets to the Programme, which includes Networking, Speeches and Dinner is priced at $31.99 (excluding Cash Bar) can be purchased through humanitix.com here.
Indian Newslink welcomes the formation of such a strategic Fijian business group and hope to with the officials and members of the Organisation. This newspaper, established by the late Ravin Lal (on November 15, 1999), of Fijian origin, has worked closely with the community. People of Fijian origin have been prominent winners of various categories of the Indian Newslink Business Awards (since 2008) and Indian Newslink Sports, Community, Arts and Culture Awards (since 2012).
Prominent businesspersons of the Fijian community Raj Chand and Vinod Kumar are among the winners of our Community and Business Awards.
Indian Newslink has introduced an independent category called, ‘Business Excellence in International Trade with Fiji’ from this year. We seek entries from eligible companies. Details are available on our website www.indiannewslink.co.nz
The Organising Committee
Among the members of the Organising Committee of the Fiji Business Network are Raj Chand (Owner, ABC Business Solutions and Chairman, Hunters Corner Town Centre), Atesh Bhej (Managing Director, Biz Solutions), Henry Rogo (Owner, Trinity Construction), Glynis Millier (Trade Commissioner, Pacific Trade Invest), Arvind Kumar (Editor, Fiji Dynamics Magazine and Digital Editor, Stuff New Zealand), Pritesh Patel (Principal, Patel and Co), Praneet Singh (Business Consultant and Former Trade Commissioner of Fiji to North America), Yashveen Singh (Director, Legal Hub), Amar Prakash (Mortgage Broker, Star Mortgage), Sam Achary (Owner, Ann’s Funeral Home and Onsite Cremations), Vinod Kumar (Founding Member, Megasons Mitre10), Imraan Hussein (Managing Director, Apna 990 and Apna TV), Rachna Nath (Strategic Media and Communications Advisor, Human Rights Commission and Former Fiji TV Presenter and Journalist), Dr Prashant Kalyan (Clinical Advisor, Lumino, The Dentists) and Nik Naidu (Managing Director, PC King and Trustee, Whanau Community Centre).
Network Objectives
The Organising Committee has been holding online meetings to discuss the official launch of the Fiji Business Network, consider programmes for the coming year and determine the objective, among which are (a) to promote the businesses of members (b) provide business advisory services (c) support start-ups and new businesspersons (d) share information, referrals and connections.
Quoting Raj Chand, a key driver of the initiative, Stuff New Zealand said that the Organisation aims to nurture and grow the network of businesses in the community while helping bolster the New Zealand economy.
“The Fiji Business Network provides an opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses to connect and network with other businesses. With all of us networking and working together, helping each other grow and nurturing and mentoring other emerging business – all of this can only be good for the New Zealand economy,” he said.
Contributions of Fijians to New Zealand
The Network currently has 50 members and Mr Chand is hopeful that it would grow to at least 100 by Christmas and double the number next year.
According to the Papatoetoe based Whanau Community Centre, the Fiji community in New Zealand accounts for about 150,000 people with 15,000 businesses, with a ratio of 1:10 business ownership rate. The average number of employees in a business is three, and hence, Fiji businesses employ about 45,000 people.
“They account for about 2% of the private sector workforce in New Zealand and Fiji businesses contribute about $4.5 billion to the New Zealand economy, which is about 1.5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP,” the Centre said.
It said that the total volume of trade between Fiji and New Zealand is $1.1 billion and that Fiji is New Zealand’s largest regional trading partner.
“New Zealand is not only the second-largest tourism market for Fiji but also the third-largest trading partner,” it said.
For more information on the Fiji Business Network, please email info@fijibusinessnetwork.org.nz
