By Staff Writer
The Bank South Pacific Country Head in Samoa, Taituuga Ms. Maryann Lameko-Vaai, has stepped up the ranks at the regional level as the new General Manager Offshore Branches.
As regional manager she will oversee the operations of 6 non-PNG BSP businesses in the pacific that includes Samoa, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu and Cook Islands.
Taituuga is now one of only four women to be elevated to senior management roles in the expanding BSP group and will be set up in the bank’s head office in Papua New Guinea.
Her climb up the executive ladder started 10 years ago when she first joined the bank in 2012 as Head of Finance and Operations.
By June 2015 she became Country Manager, making her the first Samoan female to take up the top role at the general manager’s level in the banking industry in Samoa.
But it was one of several notable achievements for her that included leading BSP Samoa to claim market leadership from the ANZ Bank that dominated the banking industry in Samoa for over 40 years.
Taituuga joined the BSP organized leadership and management development programme for 2 years from 2016-2018.
Part of her training included completing a General Manager’s studies in the Melbourne Business School and the INSEAD School od Executive Business in France.
Her management training added to a Bachelors’ degree she holds from Auckland University, Chartered Accountant with the Samoa Institute of Accountants and a Certified Public Accountant with CPA Australia.
Before joining BSP, Taituuga, was Deputy CEO/Manager Finance and Operations at Computer Services Limited after working with Lesa and Penn as Senior Accountant and Auditor.
“This appointment is not just an individual achievement, it’s also a reflection of the success of the BSP Samoa team and the strength of our business,” Taituuga reacted firmly.
As a devout Christian she feels blessed and humbled to be given the opportunity and the faith to have her family uprooted from the comforts of home to take up her new calling.
“Whilst it is sad to be leaving Samoa and relocating my family to PNG, these opportunities are hard to come by and sometimes, we just need to take a leap of faith.
“I only wish my parents were still alive today, to witness the fruits of God’s grace through their prayers and hard work.”
Taituuga is a mother of two with husband Lemauga Hobart Vaai, Chamber of Commerce CEO.