Aseri Radrodro

The Fiji Development Bank Board has clarified that it did not appoint its CEO Saud Minam based on ethnicity.

Opposition MP Aseri Radrodro released a statement last Friday, claiming the appointment of a Pakistani turned Fijian passport holder, is a slap in the face of hard working Fijian people born and bred in Fiji.

Radrodro also questioned how Minam was appointed given he has not shown or proven himself to have helped the Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises in Fiji whilst he was Head of ANZ.

The FDB Board has slammed Radrodro’s comments and saying it based the selection of the CEO on the strategic requirements of one of Fiji’s most important financial institutions.

The board also pointed out that the objectives were to appoint an experienced leader with the relevant international commercial banking experience, along with an extensive knowledge of Fiji’s financial and economic sectors, as well as the expertise to guide FDB through the current environment.

The FDB says after a thorough, rigorous and transparent recruitment process conducted with the assistance of KPMG, the CEO role was offered to Minam who met the requirements fully – in a fair, merit-based process.

It adds more than 3,700 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises served by FDB, other stakeholders and the Fijian government, expect nothing less than a meritorious candidate to guide their financial institution through the current unchartered COVID-induced terrain.

The Board believes that with Minam at the helm, the FDB will continue delivering on its strategic objectives of assisting MSMEs and revitalising various businesses through development finance and access to capital.