Industry Experience
Jone Maritino Nemani is a Fijian industry leader whose career spans more than three and a half decades across government, higher education, international development, and sport. With over 35 years of experience locally, regionally, and internationally, he has operated at executive level, shaping policy, workforce systems, and organisational performance across the Pacific. Mr Nemani has served as Permanent Secretary for two major Fijian ministries: Youth and Sports, and Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations. In these chief executive roles, he led national policy development, labour regulation, workforce strategy, and youth and sports governance, influencing employment relations frameworks and productivity initiatives. Beyond government, he held senior academic leadership roles, including Executive Director for People and Workforce Strategy at the University of the South Pacific. He oversaw workforce strategy across 14 campuses in 12 countries, supporting a complex regional institution. His career also includes international advisory work as Chief Human Resources and Governance Advisor to the Government of Nauru under an Australian aid program. His experience is further strengthened by elite sport. A former national football representative for Fiji and later Chair of the Fiji National Sports Commission, he combined lived sporting experience with executive sports administration, contributing to governance reform and capacity building.
Industry Endorsements
Mr Nemani’s expertise has been recognised by national governments, international organisations, and professional peers. His Permanent Secretary appointments were endorsed by Fiji’s Public Service Commission and national leadership, reflecting high trust in his capability and integrity.
Internationally, he served as Fiji’s Director to the Asian Productivity Organization and later as Chair of the APO Governing Body, representing 21 Asia-Pacific member economies—an elected role signalling regional confidence in his leadership and policy insight.
In 2025, he was appointed to an International Labour Organization expert committee on Decent Work in Recycling, becoming the first Fijian in two decades to serve on such a panel, confirming global recognition of his authority in labour policy.
Industry Training
A defining feature of Mr Nemani’s career is his commitment to knowledge sharing and capacity development. He has taught Human Resources and Strategic Management at tertiary institutions including the University of Auckland and AUT University, bridging academic theory with applied practice.
As a senior executive, he has mentored HR professionals, public servants, youth leaders, and sports administrators across the Pacific, championing training initiatives such as coaching accreditation and workforce capability workshops. Through public speaking, mentoring, policy forums, and international committees, he has shared Pacific perspectives on productivity, decent work, and human capital development—strengthening people and systems in line with the purpose of an Industry Professor.
The Industry Professor admissions committee recognises Mr Nemani’s extensive industry expertise in the key areas of Strategic Workforce Development and Strategic Human Resource Management, supplemented with an acknowledgement of his career contribution to the areas of Institutional strengthening, governance and capacity development, Trade disputes resolutions and negotiations, Government & International affairs and International Labour Mobility.
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As CEO of Industry Professor Association, I have a passion for education and learning that leads towards a productive outcome for Industry. The Industry Professor Association is a non-profit organisation that recognises industry expertise and experience and helps members gain the ultimate recognition of their Industry career. We also help organise their industry expertise by converting it into digital learning products and sharing it with a learner hungry world.
As a previous Head of School – Southbank Institute of Technology, it gave me great insight into educational design, corporate client learning needs, government policy and strategies. My goal was to meet the needs of industry in regards to providing graduates who were highly trained in practical skills and employability skills. Whilst meeting the learning style of a generation that is highly engaging with communication channels, and immersed in collaboration to gain learning at their time, place and pace.