Developing Sustainable Resilient Infrastructure in the Blue Pacific Conference and Trade Expo

Ian draws on more than 35 years’ experience as a partner advising in the Firm’s Corporate and Finance practices. Ian was formerly Chairman of the Firm in Australia for 18 years and held the position of Global Vice Chair on Dentons' Global Board.

Seen as an expert on PNG and the Pacific, Ian offers strategic advice to banks, international financial institutions, energy and resource companies, financial intermediaries, sovereign wealth funds, multi-lateral development banks, and governments. Ian has advised on major commercial transactions including aircraft financing and acquisitions, privatisations, and major energy and resource projects.

Ian regularly works with governments in the Pacific and major donor partners, including DFAT, on issues facing the region including ongoing efforts to invest in Pacific infrastructure.

Ian is President of the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council and member of the Pacific Trade Invest Independent Advisory Board.”

Erika Olson is the Deputy Chief of Mission for the United States in Australia, where she manages the U.S.-Australia bilateral relationship through the Embassy in Canberra and Consulates in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth.  From 2021-2023, she held the post of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State overseeing policy for Southern Europe and the Caucasus.  As Director for Regional Political Military Affairs in Europe she guided U.S. participation at NATO and the OSCE.  From 2019-2021 she directed the Office of Northern Europe, the Baltics, and Arctic Security. 

While serving as Economic Counselor for the United States Mission in Turkey from 2016-2019, she won the Department’s Herbert Salzman Award for Excellence in International Economic Performance.  She has also served at U.S. Embassies in Slovakia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as in Washington as Senior Advisor/ Acting Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and in the Secretary of State’s Operation Center.  Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Ms. Olson worked alongside Ambassador Robert Oakley at the National Defense University on conflict and resilience.  She advised the Director General of the Foreign Commercial Service and worked for Microsoft and the Mitsui Corporation. 

Erika holds a M.A. in Foreign Affairs from The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and a B.A. with Honors in psychology and Japanese studies from Whitman College. 

Ian draws on more than 35 years’ experience as a partner advising in the Firm’s Corporate and Finance practices. Ian was formerly Chairman of the Firm in Australia for 18 years and held the position of Global Vice Chair on Dentons' Global Board.

Seen as an expert on PNG and the Pacific, Ian offers strategic advice to banks, international financial institutions, energy and resource companies, financial intermediaries, sovereign wealth funds, multi-lateral development banks, and governments. Ian has advised on major commercial transactions including aircraft financing and acquisitions, privatisations, and major energy and resource projects.

Ian regularly works with governments in the Pacific and major donor partners, including DFAT, on issues facing the region including ongoing efforts to invest in Pacific infrastructure.

Ian is President of the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council and member of the Pacific Trade Invest Independent Advisory Board.”

Pauline joined the French Development Agency (AFD)’s office for the Pacific, based in Noumea, New Caledonia, in August 2022 as Policy Officer.

Pauline works within AFD’s regional office aiming to support Pacific island countries and territories regarding the implementation of their sustainable development goals aligned with the Blue Pacific 2050 Strategy and the Paris Agreement. More specifically, she develops AFD’s portfolio of projects, grants and loans, especially in Fiji and across various topics related to ocean, gender and infrastructures.

Prior to joining AFD’s Pacific Regional Office, Pauline was since 2018 a task team leader within the Microfinance Division of PROPARCO, AFD’s subsidiary dedicated to the financing of the private sector. She was responsible for originating, structuring and executing loans to microfinance institutions in emerging and developing countries and especially in Least Developed Countries.

Pauline holds a Master degree in Finance from Sciences Po Paris.

Mr Jamie Isbister is Deputy Head, Office of the Pacific and the Head of the Strategic Infrastructure Division at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Jamie previously served as Australia’s Ambassador for the Environment. He is responsible for promoting and protecting Australia’s national interests on strategic infrastructure development throughout the Pacific region where he leads several branches within the Division including the Pacific Infrastructure Branch, Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and the Key Sectors Branch. Jamie is also the infrastructure coordinator at DFAT, responsible for leading on infrastructure strategy and representing Australia at various international forums, including the Quad.

Prior to this he headed DFAT’s Humanitarian, NGOs and Partnerships Division for five years and was the Australian Government’s Humanitarian Coordinator. He has previously served overseas as Minister Counsellor Development for Africa based in Pretoria and was Assistant Director General for the Africa and Middle East Branch of AusAID.

Jamie has over 25 years’ experience working in the humanitarian and development field. Before entering Government, he worked for a range of international development and human rights organisations including Amnesty International and the Caritas International network.

Jamie is also DFAT’s mental health champion.

Omar Aziz is Division Manager (Director) of the Development Economics & Prosperity Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), New Zealand. He oversees New Zealand’s international development cooperation across macroeconomics, governance/institutions, infrastructure, energy, industry and private-sector engagement and digital government sectors. He was previously MFAT’s Chief Development Economist and Head of Governance and Economics in the Pacific and Development Group. Prior to joining MFAT, Omar was Acting Chief Economist at the Ministry of Health, advising on New Zealand’s response to COVID-19, and held senior economic advisory roles at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and the New Zealand Treasury. He is a graduate of Auckland, London and Harvard universities.

Craig is a career Foreign Service Officer serving as the Deputy Economic Counselor at the U.S. Mission to Australia. He previously served as the Deputy Secretary of State’s staff covering Asia and economic issues. Craig also served in Washington as the Burma Unit Chief and served abroad in New Zealand, Uganda, Burma, and Kenya. Craig has a Master of Arts from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science with Honors from Cornell University.  He speaks Burmese, Swahili, and Luganda.

Sophie Boucaut is the Chief Operating Officer for Johnstaff International Development (JID). JID is part of the Johnstaff group, who have delivered over 1100 projects totalling AUD $45 billion over the past 30 years. In PNG, JID are the managing contractor leading the AUD $250mil ANGAU Hospital Redevelopment Project, and also a founding member of PNG Women in Construction. Sophie has 12+ years of experience in the international development sector, with a specialisation in front-line response to humanitarian crises. She has designed and delivered aid programs across the Pacific, SE Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Sophie holds a Masters of International Development Studies.

Christina graduated from university as a Civil Engineer in 2010 and worked for a tier 1 builder for 5 years before stepping into the concrete pumping world. She now works for De Martin & Gasparini, a leading south east Queensland concrete supply, pump and place contractor on a range of projects across SE QLD. Christina joined NAWIC in 2011.  After years of volunteering on the NAWIC QLD chapter she was elected to the National Board in 2017 and then Chair of the Board at the start of 2022. Christina is passionate about giving people who aren't working in construction (and girls in particular) access to tools and information that can educate and make them aware of the vast range of opportunities that exist in construction. She is always encouraging those that are in the industry to speak up when they encounter injustice and also loves to hear and share tough and inspiring stories and celebrating the amazing achievements of the women and their allies in the construction industry.

Rachael Nurvue is the founder of the Papua New Guinea Women In Construction Association (PNGWIC). PNGWIC came from Rachael’s aspiration in National Women In Construction (NAWIC) Australia when she first joined NAWIC as a student member during her study of master's in Construction Practice at Bond University, Gold Coast through the Australia Award Scholarship.

PNGWIC is co-founded by the Lae Chamber of Commerce, Johnstaff International Development, Lae City Authority, and PNG University of Technology and supports the PNG Government 2050 vision and the UN sustainable development goals by fostering the increase of women participation in male-dominated fields such as Construction. PNGWIC encourages women including women living with special needs to consider and access career opportunities in the construction industry. PNGWIC drives its initiative through education training/awareness and networking events and advocates for employers to improve accessibility for women and girls to enter and remain in the construction industry.

Prof Brendan Mackey is Director of the Climate Action Beacon at Griffith University, Queensland. He has a PhD in ecology from The Australian National University. Griffith’s Climate Action Beacon seeks to develop the knowledge, leadership, capacity and responses to enable effective and just climate action throughout society, through collaborative, interdisciplinary research and partnerships that establish change in practice. Prof Mackey has published extensively in the fields of environmental sustainability and was a Coordinating Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recent 6th Assessment Report for Working Group II on Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation. He has worked extensively in the Pacific region on R&D projects including the design and development of the Pacific Climate Change Portal, coastal hazard modelling, water quality monitoring, community-centered climate change adaptation, the economic valuation of ecosystem service benefits, and MER of community off-grid mini-power systems. Current Pacific projects including community capability and capacity building in partnership with Infinity Blue (PNG) Ltd, New Ireland PNG.

FIEAust CPEng NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus) Eng Exec BCivEng (Hons), MEngSc (Proj Mngt), MA (Strategy & Mngt).

Paul has held a number of training, engineering, regimental and staff appointments during his 30 year Army career.Paul has been appointed as Officer Commanding the 17th Construction Squadron, where he was responsible for delivery of a $5 million Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program construction project in Mapoon, Far North Queensland. Paul also completed a deployment as the Commanding Officer and Chief Engineer of the Force Extraction Unit during June to December 2013, responsible for successful delivery of the $8.5 million deconstruction project for remediation of Australian infrastructure within Multi National Base - Tarin Kot as part of the Australian Defence Force draw down in Afghanistan. Paul has also spent six years in Army Headquarters responsible for leading Land Force modernisation and infrastructure development. Paul is currently posted as Acting Assistant Secretary, Indo-Pacific Infrastructure Branch in the newly established Pacific Division, responsible for delivery and maintenance of security-related infrastructure for Indo-Pacific partner nations.

Katrina Murison, is Lead Adviser – Infrastructure within the Pacific Development Group at the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). In this role Katrina provides technical and strategic advice and sector leadership on the shape and direction of the infrastructure portfolio. She works closely with bilateral teams, New Zealand, Pacific and regional stakeholders and development partners to support New Zealand’s engagement across the sector. Katrina has experience working in private, public and not-for-profit sectors across Australia, New Zealand and Asia-Pacific. She is a Chartered Engineer, with a Bachelor of Civil and Environmental Engineering from Queensland University of Technology, and a Masters of Integrated Water Management from University of Queensland. Katrina is passionate about the role infrastructure plays in improving people’s lives and the environment.

Based in Auckland, Brad is head of the Australian Trade & Investment Commission’s New Zealand and Pacific Region. Brad has held senior leadership roles across a broad range of industry sectors including resources, energy, infrastructure, trade and agriculture. He has spent his career developing and implementing advocacy, reputation and stakeholder engagement strategies in complex operating environments both domestically and internationally. Prior to joining Austrade, Brad was CEO of the Australian Logistics Council a leading industry body representing businesses operating in the freight and logistics supply chain. He spent three years as the General Manager of Corporate Affairs at the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) before his shift into the supply chain sector. He also led the global government relations function at mining and metals company, South32, following the demerger from BHP. Brad holds a degree in Business (Agricultural Commerce) from the University of New England.

Emma advises and supports DFAT’s infrastructure investment teams to maximise local industry participation and skills development in AIFFP-financed projects. Emma has over 20 years experience designing and implementing international development programs, with expertise in developing local content strategies and plans; undertaking labour market and industry capability assessments; developing procurement strategies and forging strategic partnerships to maximise local participation outcomes. Prior to her current role, Emma worked as a labour market consultant, senior procurement practitioner and in various diplomatic and senior management roles in government, private sector and non-profit organisations across the Asia Pacific region.

Hon Seve Paeniu, who is the Tuvalu Minister of Finance, is a development economist by training and profession. He holds a bachelor of commerce degree and masters in economics. He has over 20 years of experience across the Pacific region on public policy, national sustainable development planning, and public financial management. He had served as chief executive of the finance ministry in Tuvalu and Nauru; he was a Tuvalu high commissioner to Fiji; the sustainable development adviser at SPREP; and more recently the chief executive and head of the Pacific regional Oceania Customs Organization (OCO). In his current portfolio as Minister of Finance, Hon Paeniu is also the Minister responsible for climate change. And as such, he has been appointed the Pacific Political Climate Champion for loss and damage since 2021. As Minister of Finance, he represents Tuvalu on the Boards of Governors of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank

Fraser is the Managing Director of McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands with over 30 years’ experience in senior management roles across the civil infrastructure sector.  He has been providing effective governance to large multi-disciplined project teams for more than a decade.  His management skills are aligned with technical expertise and deep insight into constructability issues.  This enables him to drive optimal solutions and value engineering, manage risk and act on opportunities.  

Fraser brings outstanding skills in strategic analysis and planning, performance management, and financial and commercial management. He has an impressive record in governance, with experience as PAB Chair on two of New Zealand’s best performing alliance projects ‐ the Memorial Park Alliance (MPA) and Wynyard Edge Alliance (WEA) that has delivered the 36th America’s Cup infrastructure (AC36). Other relevant governance includes roles on the CRL C2, SCIRT Alliance, and Hamilton Ring Road.

George has over 20 years’ experience in the Construction and Property industry, he currently is the Group Chairman and Governing Director for the Constantinou Group of Companies, Chairman and Managing Director of both Hebou Constructions and Monier Limited. He is also the Director of a number of other Director positions throughout Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. George graduated with a Bachelor of Regional and Town Planning, as well as a Masters of Project Management (Property Studies), and is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Antoine Boudier was born in Vanuatu and has spent his lifetime contributing to the development and growth of the nation since gaining Independence in 1980.

Antoine runs his own successful business, VATE Electrics, which employs over 40 fulltime staff in Port Vila and in the islands.

He is heavily involved in sports development and currently chairs the Vanuatu Olympic committee, as well having sat on the Board of the Vanuatu Provident Fund and the Price Control Advisory Committee.

Most notably Antoine has been leading the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry in his role as President of the Board since 2020, encouraging the promotion of business and job development, while also working with the Government on ways to grow the economy and encourage investment into the country.

He is committed to a vision of a healthy and prosperous Vanuatu.

Vince Pérez is Co-Founder and Chairman of Alternergy, a listed Philippine renewable company in wind, hydro, solar and battery systems, and through its subsidiary, Solar Pacific, built the Palau solar battery plant. He was Philippine Energy Minister from June 2001 to March 2005. In early 2001, he was Deputy Minister at the Department of Trade and Industry and was Vice Chairman of the National Renewable Energy Board from 2009 to 2010. Prior to his government service, Vince had an extensive investment banking career with Lazard investment bank in London, New York and Singapore. He was Chairman of WWF-Philippines and Trustee of WWF-International. Vince obtained an MBA from the Wharton Business School and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Economics from the University of the Philippines. He was a World Fellow at Yale University, where he lectured an MBA class on renewable energy in emerging countries.

Caleb Jarvis became the Trade & Investment Commissioner for Pacific Trade Invest Australia in 2008. He is an Executive of the Australia Papua New Guinea Business Council, Australia Pacific Islands Business Council and the Australia Fiji Business Council. He also sits on the Approval Committee for Pacific Rise a DFAT funded initiative.

He has an extensive background in international private sector development, trade, investment, impact investing, tourism, marketing, property and the creative industries. Assisting Pacific Island enterprises to make the right commercial connections remains his key priority.

In 2003 he joined the Australian Trade Commission where he managed a team of Export Advisers in NSW and the ACT. He was posted overseas as the Acting Trade Commissioner Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for Australia in 2007.

Mr Jarvis resided in PNG managing the City Pharmacy Group of companies from 1996 until 2003. During this period the company underwent a process of substantial growth and was listed on the PNG’s stock exchange. As a child Mr Jarvis resided in Port Moresby for several years.