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The Women in Executive Leadership Solomon Islands (WELSI) remains committed with its vision to create a sustainable platform for advancing women in executive leadership roles through relevant training and supporting gaps that are a hindrance to the advancement of women in the executive leadership space. Reaffirming this commitment, WELSI successfully hosted its second Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Honiara on Thursday 13 August 2026. This presented an opportunity for WELSI to present to members and stakeholders an overview of its performance, challenges, and achievements from July 2025 to June 2026. For WELSI, the past year saw notable advancements in strengthening organizational capability and governance, positioning WELSI to advance its objectives effectively, sustainably, and ethically. During the AGM, a new WELSI Board was elected by its members as the leading organization that creates a sustainable platform for advancing women in executive leadership roles. Ms. Pamela Naesol was elected unopposed as the President (Chair) of WELSI to be supported by Ms. Dinna Irofufuli as Vice President (Vice Chair), Ms. Simaema Neilsen as Secretary and Ms. Nina Chen and Ms. Barbara Kyere the ordinary members. In presenting WELSI’s Annual Report at the AGM, Ms. Naesol highlighted the key achievements which included the establishment of the inaugural Board of WELSI, a revised strategic plan for the next three years to align its activities with its strategic priorities, an annual workplan and a corresponding budget were developed to guide the operations of WELSI during the year and the launch of the WELSI website. One of the main achievements is the delivery of the Solomon Islands Senior Women in Executive Leadership Training Program, WELSI’s flagship leadership program. Eight cohorts of the program have been delivered from 2023-2026, reaching 159 women leaders and emerging leaders. “Participants have come from the private and public sectors and civil society, strengthening their leadership capabilities, confidence, professional networks, governance knowledge, and career development,” WELSI President, Ms. Naesol, said. “The growing alumni network reflects WELSI’s continued contribution to developing women for leadership and decision-making roles across sectors,” she added. This also led to the launch of the WELSI SheLeads Mentorship Program in June. The program currently supports eight mentor/mentee relationships and is anticipated to grow over the coming months and year. Ms. Naesol also highlighted the future priorities for WELSI heading into the future. She said they are looking at expanding the organization’s capacity and capability to be able to deliver more services and benefits to members through diversification of organic revenue streams, corporate sponsorship and grant funding support. “Also expand leadership trainings and professional development opportunities for women in the executive leadership space to strengthen their leadership skills and competencies. “With this we aim to increase membership numbers of WELSI by increasing the value proposition for members and strengthen mentorship and peer networks for women in executive leadership,” she said. WELSI, launched in October 2024, is an initiative that was birthed through a strategic collaboration between three partner organisations, the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), the Solomon Islands Women in Business Association (SIWIBA) and the Institute of Solomon Islands Accountants (ISIA) bearing witness to the rise of a movement that will impact generations to come. ENDS///…with photo Caption: Photo 1: WELSI members, stakeholders and the new WELSI Board members during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday 13 August 2026 at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara.

Sunday 12 July, Honiara – The Women in Executive Leadership Solomon Islands (WELSI) remains committed to increase dialogue on challenges affecting women’s progression into senior executive roles. As part of these efforts, WELSI successfully hosted a Women Connect Breakfast and Panel Discussion Networking Event at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara on Thursday 9 July 2026.  The event brought together women leaders, key stakeholders, and partners to discuss critical issues, share experiences, and identify practical pathways for increasing women’s representation in senior executive and higher decision-making roles in Solomon Islands. It also featured a panel discussion moderated by representatives from government, private sector, development partners, and educational institutions. Discussions focused on the progress and gaps in women’s representation in executive leadership, barriers to advancement into higher decision-making roles, leadership development and executive capacity building, mentorship, sponsorship, and institutional support and opportunities for strengthening women’s pathways into senior leadership. WELSI President, Ms. Pamela Naesol Alamu highlighted those discussions provided a greater understanding of opportunities and strategies to support women’s advancement into higher decision-making positions. “It created stronger partnerships and collaboration among stakeholders and renewed engagement and strengthened networks among WELSI members and women leaders across sectors,” she said. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA), Mr Aaron Pitaqae, who was the keynote speaker at the event, said promoting women into higher decision-making roles is not just a matter of fairness but a strategic necessity.  “While challenges remain, the opportunities for enriched leadership and societal progress are immense. By addressing structural barriers, challenging biases, and fostering supportive environments, we can unlock the full potential of women leaders and drive meaningful change across all sectors. As members of our society, women deserve respect and recognition,” Mr. Pitaqae said. “This however is not just about recognising women because they are part of us; it is about making meaningful change because it will benefit everyone. Government and organisations must now accept that women participation can have positive impact,” he added. Barriers for women’s participation and engagement in leadership roles include; strong patriarchal norms and traditional gender roles, where leadership is a role for men; limited access to networks and mentoring that facilitate upward mobility; gender bias in recruitment and promotion processes and balancing leadership responsibilities with heavy family and community obligations.  However, there have been notable positive shifts where national policies and programs aimed at supporting women to progress into leadership roles.

The Women in Executive Leadership Solomon Islands (WELSI) has officially launched ‘SHEleads’, a Mentorship Program dedicated to creating meaningful mentorship relationships that empower women to lead with confidence and purpose. The SHEleads Program is designed to build supportive mentor-mentee connections that encourage women's leadership, personal and professional growth, continuous learning, and meaningful connections through shared experiences, guidance, and peer support. The launch of the SHEleads Program coupled with an induction session on Tuesday 30 June 2026 marked an important milestone by setting the foundation for the program by covering mentor and mentee roles, expectations, program guidelines, safeguarding principles, and practical templates to help participants build strong and effective mentoring relationships. The SHEleads program aims to create a support network of and for women in executive leadership and management roles and women aspiring to be in leadership roles in the public and private sector. It establishes a mentorship arrangement to strengthen leadership pathways and facilitate connections between women and wider professional networks and opportunities. WELSI President, Ms. Pamela Naesol Alamu said this initiative aligns with WELSI’s objectives as a member driven organization established to provide a platform for advancing women in leadership through addressing training, networking and mentoring. “As a professional body aimed at advancing gender development and social inclusion in terms of professional development of women in senior executive roles, we are extremely proud to launch this initiative for our members. “At WELSI, we remain committed to creating a network and support system for professional women seeking to excel in executive leadership roles and identify gaps and needs in the journey of women in business and executive leadership roles and address them through training, mentorship, coaching and sponsorship,” she said. The mentorship arrangements will begin as informal setups, providing participants with the freedom to suggest suitable actions and plans that they are able to advance within their existing roles. WELSI members will be invited to apply to become mentees and they will be paired with women in executive leadership positions or those that have experiences in leadership roles to be mentors. Ms. Alamu said as an outcome of this program, women leaders are expected to demonstrate greater confidence and empowerment, enabling them to perform their roles more effectively and with increased influence; “Collaboration and support networks among women are strengthened, fostering collective empowerment and knowledge exchange. “And gender stereotypes in leadership are progressively challenged and reduced, with stronger awareness and commitment across sectors to embrace inclusive leadership practices,” the WELSI President said when outlining the expected outcomes of the SHEleads program. WELSI acknowledges the volunteerism, and generous support of individuals who have been instrumental in establishing the SHEleads Mentorship Program framework and members who have put their hands up to be mentors. WELSI looks forward to seeing these mentorships flourish as participants learn from one another, grow together, and inspire the next generation of women leaders.

Thursday 14 May, Honiara - 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.

Monday 13 October, Honiara - Aspiring women leaders have expressed their appreciation for the valuable network they have gained after attending the Solomon Islands Senior Women in Executive Leadership Program. Twenty-five women representing different organisations from the private sector, State- Owned Enterprises (SOEs), and public sector on Thursday 9 October 2025 successfully completed the four-day Program as the sixth cohort delivered by the Women in Executive Leadership Solomon Islands (WELSI). “From the start coming into this program, I didn’t know what I was walking into,” said Christina Palusi, who is the Manager Key Accounts at Our Telekom’s M-Selen Department. Ms Palusi, is among the aspiring women leaders that attended the recent delivery of the program, who said the training had thought them a lot of things in terms of advancing professionally as women and that they have learned a lot and for that they are very thankful. “One of the most important take out for me from the four days is the network I have built. I have had the privilege of engaging with very experienced guest speakers, our facilitators and of course other professional women who I’ve studied with in this program. “I want to give appreciation to my employer for allowing me to attend this program and to WELSI for giving us women the opportunity to attend this training and a space where we can grow professionally,” she said. One of the attributes WELSI seeks to develop in the young professionals attending this program is their confidence, to put their hands up even if it means stepping out from their comfort zones. Ms Freda Tamu has been the Cash Power Administrator at Solomon Power for ten years, and she is grateful the training department within Solomon Power selected her to attend the program.   For media enquiries contact WELSI on phone 7179926 or email ceo@isia.org.sb “At first I was hesitant to attend the program because I felt it was only for senior women in leadership. But I was encouraged and I’m happy I made the decision to attend this program,” she said. Me Tamu said the first thing she learned from attending the program is having a support network system around you. “I have learnt about having a coach, mentor and a sponsor. It’s important to have this support system which will help and support in the progression of your career as a woman. She highlighted that the program has helped participants understand the importance of identifying risks within the work place, and be able to find ways to mitigate those risks to be able to do your work to the best of your ability. “For me, attending this program very important for me as it was very informative and I have learned a lot of things that I have not known before. “Once you attend this program, take on onboard what you have learnt and apply them, it will take you a long way in terms of your career,” Ms Tamu said. The participants of the sixth cohort will be awarded their certificates for successfully completing the program during a graduation ceremony on Friday 16 October which will coincide with celebrations to mark the one-year anniversary of WELSI. The Solomon Islands Senior Women in Executive Leadership Program is designed for aspiring women leaders who want to deepen their knowledge of business operations, develop strong networks with other senior women, build confidence in areas including governance, and refresh their professional brand. With support from the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) is delivered by WELSI with the objective to advancing gender development and social inclusion in terms of providing relevant professional development of women, providing support and network to advance professional women into CEO and board positions.