Ben has over 25 years of international development experience across the Asia-Pacific
region. In the Pacific alone this has included work in good governance and financial best practice in Tonga, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Vanuatu. Ben has a wide experience of stakeholder experience having worked for DFAT, MFAT, DANIDA, World Bank, ADB, UNICEF and the Republic of China in conjunction with private sector clients.
After completing a B.A in Accounting in Australia, Ben’s early career took him to Tongaas an AVI, and then ongoing assignments that have seen him based in Cambodia, Philippines, Vanuatu and Japan whilst traveling for extended and shorter work assignments throughout the Asia-Pacific region. In 2001 he completed a M.Com (financial planning).
In Cambodia, Ben spent six years assisting the government to coordinate the wide and disparate group of donors and interested parties, both local and international, that was assisting with the politically and technically complex legal and judicial reform. His understanding and experience in public financial management and strategic planning underpin this work.
In Tonga, his work included bringing different interest groups during the
commercialization of parts of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry. In the Solomon Islands, it involved local communities in the construction of new prisons. In Kiribati and Vanuatu, he supported the Ministries of Education to prepare realistic and comprehensive budgets, and focus efforts on resource allocation. Stakeholder coordination and leading teams doing design, implementation and reviews are central to Ben’s varied career.
Ben takes his passion for running, football and orienteering to the countries he works, volunteering to coach, organise events and strengthen local organisations.