Man with a mission

PENI Usumaki is a man with a mission. It is impossible to spend time with Ika Corporation Limiteds general manager without being caught up by his enthusiasm, apparently boundless energy and belief that catchmg tuna for the world is a business that is going places.

“The opportunities are simply too great to ignore,” he says. “We are based right in the heart of the world's finest tuna fishing waters. We have the experience, the people, and the market. When you put that all together, it adds up to a very bright future indeed."

Usumaki, 34, joined Ika in August last year, and has been responsible for overseeing the corporatisation of the company. He’s also the man behind the corporation’s new image. “Our new corporate image,” he says, “reflects our new approach to doing business. Ika is a company on the move, and that’s refleeted in everything we do.”

But the new Ika goes beyond simply a new logo and “ltd” on the end of its name. “If we’re going to succeed and I believe we will then we are going to have to look beyond our current operations. We will have to diversify,” says Usumaki. “That means attracting the capital and expertise to make it possible or us to go into long-line fishing and perhaps purse-seining. We can’t simply

go on being content with just turning in satisfactory results. We have to get out there and make things happen.”

Does all of this mean that Ika will be

moving away from pole-and-line fishing?

“Not at all” he says. “Pole-and-line fishing is the heart of our operation, and it will continue to be. After all, there are some 25,000 tonnes of surface-fished tuna available in Fiji waters alone each year that no-one is catching. That’s Fs2o million at today’s prices.

“Besides that pole-and-line caught fish attract premium prices. The fish is of a higher quality, and this sort of fishing doesn’t damage the environment.”

Ika Corporation Limited, he notes, goes into corporatisation on a firm base.

“We’re in very sound finacial shape with accumulated profits over $1.5 million and assets of $7 million - and we have a very dynamic and experienced Chairman and Board of Directors. Our captains, crews and fishermen are all very able and experienced people, and we have a fortune in fish on our own doorstep. You’ll be hearing a lot more of us in years to come.”

Educated at Suva Methodist Primary and Queen Victoria School, Tailevu, Usumaki is a Bachelor of Arts (accounting) graduate from the University of the South Pacific, Suva, and also holds a Diploma in Business Studies. A Chartered

Accountant, he is a member of the Fiji Institute of Accountants and an affiliate member of the Fiji Institute of Agri cultural Sciences. He is a product of the Carpenter Group, which helped train him in virtually all aspects of commerce, TT . • , , .

UsUm . ak ' bega " , h 'L Career as aman : ag ” Cadet W,th Car P e " terS F U| Ltd 1974 ’ He “ as P romoted to asslstam accoumant - lhen t 0 supervisor copra buyln S f<^. Carpenters former Island In duStneS He was a ‘ s ° d'vtstonal accountant for Carpenters Motors. As a “ , ex t ecu “ ve tramee A U,u " ,akl was aUa " pu Car P enters f ustral ‘ a at . thc ° a ‘ °" ? Pharmaceutlcal warehousing/ « hole^ e «P e > a uons m Sydney. He was attached to Carpenters Papua New Gulnea^ s coconut oil manufacturing and C ° h C ° a P' 3 ™" 0 .? P r f° jeCtS l n Rab l ul ’ be Stud,ed all faCetS of ag,lClllu " management, He was then appointed manager of Carpenter’s Delaiweni Estate, on the Is * °f Taveuni, responsible for about 100 employees. In September 1987 Usu maki was named general manager agri culture and assumed control of all WR

Carpenter agricultural operations in Fiji,

with a workforce of 200.

Usumaki is married with two children and enjoys gardening, playing tennis and, of course, fishing. □

Penisoni Usumaki: “you’ll be hearing a lot more about us in years to come."