Cure Kids Fiji welcomes Tony Whitton as Chair and Bobby Raniga as a new Board Member
16 October 2020
Mr Tony Whitton succeeds Mr Roy Austin, who served as Chair for over 14 years. Cure Kids Fiji would like to thank Mr Austin for his years of service, and his leadership in delivering lifesaving, research-based health solutions to the children of Fiji.
Mr Austin has also served as Chair of Cure Kids in New Zealand since 1996, and of Cure Kids Ventures since 2011. Among many other life achievements, he is a staunch member of the Rotary Club, where he has been made a Paul Harris Fellow, and helped form the Rotary Diabetes Prevention Trust. Roy has been honoured with a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to children’s health and the community.
As Chair of the Board for Cure Kids Fiji, he secured funding for child health initiatives worth more than FJD $7.7 million, which have been delivered in partnership with Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
Roy is delighted to hand the role to Mr Whitton, who was appointed to the Board of Cure Kids Fiji in 2016 and has made many contributions in this time.
“I am honoured to be serving with a passionate group of individuals on the Fiji Board who really want to improve the quality of life for Fijian children. From our work with rheumatic heart disease and rural hospital oxygen units across the country we have invested more than FJ$7.7 million over the past 14 years working closely with our partners at the Ministry of Health. Together with our valued funding partners across Fiji, Australia and New Zealand, we will bring research and evidence-based medicine to the children of Fiji. Cure Kids has a track record of implementing sustainable solutions, and this work is even more critical in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“We are privileged to be able to work with Mr Whitton and the Cure Kids Fiji Board of Directors to transform the health of children in Fiji,” says Frances Benge, Chief Executive for Cure Kids Fiji. “His experience, passion, and leadership will help to steer the organisation through the current global crisis.”
“We are also delighted to welcome Mr Bobby Raniga to the Board,” continues Ms Benge. “Mr Raniga has a wealth of knowledge, experience, and connections which will be invaluable.”
Mr Raniga is a lawyer by profession and has held the position of Director at both Fiji Islands Revenue & Customs Services and the Reserve Bank of Fiji, and Trustee of the International School Nadi. He is currently the Director of Port Denarau Centre Management Limited and various other family-owned businesses, and is Trustee of Nadi Sports & Social Club.
Mr Whitton is an experienced corporate executive by profession, with a degree from the University of New South Wales, in Australia. He is the Managing Director of the Rosie Group of companies, comprising Rosie Holidays and Ahura Resorts (Likuliku Lagoon and Malolo Island Resort). Mr Whitton has worked in the tourism industry for over 25 years, throughout Australia and the Pacific. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and has served on many corporate boards, including Tourism Fiji. Mr Whitton currently serves on the board of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, and the publicly listed Fijian Holdings; he is Chair and Trustee of the International School Nadi, and Trustee of the Koroipita Model Towns Charitable Trust.
In 2019 Mr Whitton was awarded the Officer of the Order of Fiji by his Excellency the President of Fiji, for distinguished service of a high degree to Fiji and humanity.