Weleilakeba takes helm to revive Ba Provincial Company

Prominent business executive Sitiveni Weleilakeba is optimistic of growing and saving Ba Provincial Holding Company Limited (BPCHL) from further financial loss.

Mr Weleilakeba was appointed the interim chief executive officer by the board of the provincial company last week.

Speaking from Australia yesterday, Mr Weleilakeba said the company should have been the largest and profitable provincial company in the country to date.

“I wanted to help them because, looking at the books, they should have been the biggest provincial company in this country, unfortunately a lot has happened that affected growth,” he said.

Ba provincial company, owned by the largest province in Fiji, was touted as a multi-million-dollar company owning several properties in the Western Division, but over the years had faced major challenging debts.

“The company has a lot of potential. There’s a lot of things to pursue and diversify their portfolio.”

Mr Weleilakeba is given a period of 30 months to help improve the operation of the company, with a five-year strategic plan already implemented this year.

“There’s been a lot of reforms undertaken. One of the phases recommended in the strategic plan is to consolidate the footprint, reform; looking at the cost structures, efficiencies, the duplication of decision making, structure of organisation,” he said.

“What’s left now is the refinancing of the company’s debt, overdraft facility, loans, discussion on the arrangement with the Government on the Built Operate Transfer (provinces build and Government rents the properties).”

Mr Weleilakeba said he would first transform the culture of the organisation.

“I am corporate man; I come with a lot of discipline. I am looking at institutional strengthening, capacity building for the staff.

“I am very aggressive guy, when I target something, I get it.”

Mr Weleilakeba has held several business executive positions in Papua New Guinea and Fiji, including CEO of the Fijian Holdings Limited. The outgoing CEO is Isimeli Bose, who has served in the position since the inception of the company in 1995.

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