Fiji-Born Tai Makes Partner At Deloitte NZ

Fiji-born Lisa Tai has been appointed partner at Deloitte New Zealand, becoming the second Pasifika female to take on a senior role at Deloitte, the largest professional services firm in the world.

Deloitte is considered one of the big four accounting firms in the world and traces its roots back to London in 1845.

Tai said there were ‘mixed feelings’ when she heard the news of her appointment.

“There was definitely some excitement at the opportunity, I was pretty stoked,” Ms Tai said.

“It is a great achievement, not just for me, but for my family,” she said.

“It’s not just for me, but for the Pacific staff at Deloitte, and what it represents for them.”

“It is a big role, and you want to make sure you do it justice and you make everybody proud.”

Life-changing Decisions

The youngest of three, Ms Tai is proud of her mixed heritage - she has links to Rotuma through her mother, while her father is Fijian/ Chinese.

Having migrated from Fiji to New Zealand in the late 1980s after the first coup, Ms Tai said her parents’ decision to move was similar to other Pacific migrant families seeking better opportunities in another country.

Lisa Tai with collagues of Deloitte NZ.

“I always thought that that one decision really did change the trajectory for not only me but for my siblings as well,” she said.

“I think for me as someone that was born in Fiji but had come to New Zealand and done all of my schooling and growing up here, you just don’t want to waste that - you don’t want to waste the opportunities that you’ve been given because of the decisions that your parents had made.”

Pasifika Representation

While Ms Tai recognises the appointment as uncommon for Pasifika woman, she believes she will not be t be the last.

Her drive to increase Pacific representation at the firm led her to establish Deloitte’s Pasifika Services Team, ‘Pås Peau’ -a Rotuman translation about breaking through waves.

Community Reflection

Ms Tai said firms like Deloitte needed to accurately reflect the communities that they serve so that the decisions they make on the behalf are beneficial. For Pasifika people who aspire to wok in Deloitte, or who are looking to get into the business world, Ms Tai said having courage was an asset that went a long way.

Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj