Pasifika businesses flourishing

Since 2023, WellingtonNZ has led the Pasifika Business Enablement initiative within the REDP. This work programme includes the Pasifika Student Networking series, delivered in partnership with Whitireia, Massey University, and Victoria University. It aims to inspire the next generation of Pasifika business leaders by connecting them with established Pasifika professionals. 

As the REDP has evolved, so too have Pasifika initiatives. What began as a business-focused programme has expanded to support more than 250 students as they prepare for future careers. The connection with business owners has had lasting effects. Victoria University second-year student Tautalaleleia Sau comments. “At my first Pasifika Breakfast Event, I was inspired by the panellists and decided to connect with Elyjana Roach on LinkedIn. We met for coffee and have kept in contact since. Seeing our community thrive in Wellington, especially through pathways that are not always visible, has been truly inspirational.” 

Like many REDP initiatives, the work involves collaboration between multiple organisations. The Pasifika enablement programme was set up by WellingtonNZ, and it continues to lead it, working alongside the Wellington Pasifika Business Network (WPBN). It’s now evolved to include secondary students in the talanoa (conversation). Students from multiple educational levels now get to learn from professional leaders’ experiences at Pasifika networking events. 

Building on the three-year-old Victoria University model, WellingtonNZ partnered with WPBN and Massey University to deliver a Pasifika Student Networking Event at Massey’s Mt Cook campus in May 2026. The event gave Pacific students a supportive environment to explore career opportunities in industries they may not previously have considered. It also gave business leaders a chance to share their journeys, celebrate cultural identity, and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. 

A panel discussion brought together four accomplished Pacific leaders from Wellington’s creative, media, and technology sectors. This included game development studio PikPok, educational design agency Bolster Design, Pacific Media Network, and Poporazzi Productions. All spoke candidly about challenges they had faced and the opportunities they had pursued, emphasising that staying authentic as a Pacific person had been crucial to their success. Students gained valuable insight into diverse opportunities available within Wellington's growing creative and innovation sectors. 

The programme’s expansion to Massey University marks an important step towards growing connections between Pacific students and industry role models, and career development opportunities. The new financial year will see tertiary students have opportunities to take part in workplace visits as well.