The Women in Executive Leadership Solomon Islands (WELSI) has delivered yet another successful Solomon Islands Senior Executive Women in Leadership Program in Honiara.
This is the 7th cohort as WELSI remains committed in its efforts to raise awareness on important leadership matters for professional and businesswomen to be aware of when advancing their careers into higher leadership positions.
The four-day program was hosted on the 21st, 23rd, 28th and 30th of April 2026 led by Program Facilitator, Ms. Lilly Lomulo with a line-up of experienced guest speakers.
“It has been inspiring to witness our executives recognize their potential and embrace the value they bring to their workplaces and communities.
“As lead facilitator my passion is to empower our women executives with knowledge, confidence and cultivating opportunity for them to be transformative leaders, be better versions of themselves and be positive changemakers as professionals,” she said.
Guest speakers at this delivery of the Solomon Islands Senior Executive Women in Leadership Program included;
– Michelle Maelaua, Head of Corporate Services at Solomon Water;
– David Quan Chairman of Solomon Power;
– Dinna Irofufuli, WELSI Vice Chair; and Head of Talent and Inclusion at BAT Solomon Islands;
– Diane Tasion, Country Manager of Trans Pacific Assurance Ltd; and
-Dr. Emmanuel Joseph Iyabora, Independent Governance and Public Sector Reform Consultant.
The objective of the program is to support professional women into the executive leadership space and provide them with the right tools and support networks to progress their careers through that pathway and give them a road-map to guide them.
One of the participants, Raijeli Kubule, who works as Administration and Logistics Officer at SolTuna, now sees herself as a confident accountable leader who can drive impact and support others effectively.
“This program has shifted my mindset from position-based leadership to influence-based leadership.
“I see myself as a confident accountable leader who can drive impact and support others effectively,” she said when sharing her experience on attending the program.
“The most powerful moment for me was sharing experiences with other women leaders and realizing the values of collective strength, resilience and support,” she added.
Ms. Kubule also took time to encourage other aspiring Solomon Islands women leaders to be confident, take initiative and invest in their professional growth.
“Do not wait for the perfect moment, step forward, stay authentic and lead with purpose,” she said.
A total of 18 participants, coming from different organisations mostly from the private sector and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), successfully completed and graduated as the 7th cohort of the Solomon Islands Senior Executive Women in Leadership Program.
Meanwhile, WELSI President, Ms Pamela Naesol acknowledged all the partners who have worked together to make this training program possible for women in the Solomon Islands.
“As an organization, we always look at effective ways in which we can start developing women and empowering them with the necessary knowledge and leadership competencies so that they can be effective in the areas in which they serve, and one of the first steps is to provide women with a structured training on fundamental areas considered critical for effective leadership in this space,” the WELSI President said.
She said the key is to provide women leaders with a comprehensive support system to guide them in their leadership journey.
“This support system focuses on professional trainings, networking, mentorship and strong advocacy for our members.
“We often have high-level gender policies at the government level however these are often not translated into impactful programs on the ground-level resulting in an existing gap which is what we are trying to address at WELSI.
“Our goal is to provide more practical and impactful solutions geared towards increasing the number of women effectively participating in decision-making at high level decision-making positions.
“Many of our women are very intelligent and have a lot to contribute through their knowledge and skills, however, have problems with their confidence levels to enable them to actively and meaningfully engage,” Ms Naesol said.
“They need to be supported properly through professional trainings, mentoring support and having a strong network of women to help them climb the corporate ladder, and this is what WELSI aims to do for our women,” she added.
Through strategic partnerships, WELSI is taking a collaborative approach with a shared vision of diversity and inclusivity to help strengthen women’s active participation in higher decision-making positions whether it be in business, organisations or on boards or committees.
WELSI is a member-driven organization dedicated to empowering women in leadership roles across various sectors in the Solomon Islands.
By fostering mentorship, advocacy, and skill-building, WELSI aims to create a more inclusive and equitable professional landscape for the women of Solomon Islands, with the ultimate vision of increasing the number of women participating in higher decision-making positions.
