Our Board | Te Kumiti Aka'aere o te CIIC

The Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister responsible, in accordance with the Cook Islands Investment Corporation Act 1998.
The Board provides strategic leadership, oversight, and accountability across CIIC’s core functions and its wider portfolio of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). The Board plays a vital role in ensuring CIIC delivers value to the people of the Cook Islands through strong governance, responsible investment, and long-term, sustainable planning. It also ensures CIIC’s activities align with national development priorities and the principles of good public sector stewardship.

The Cook Islands Investment Corporation Board of Directors

are appointed by Cabinet and comprises of:

Chairperson,
Tangata Fletcher Melvin

Deputy Chairperson,
Olivia Heather-Halston

Director, Sharyn Paio

Director, Rohan Ellis

Director, Patrick Arioka

Director, Halatoa Fua

The CIIC Board’s responsibilities include:

  • Setting the strategic direction for CIIC and monitoring its implementation
  • Overseeing the performance of SOEs and strengthening governance across the group 
  • Ensuring effective risk management, financial oversight, and compliance with the CIIC Act
  • Supporting the development of strong leadership, capability, and systems

Our Board members bring a diversity of skills and experience across governance, infrastructure, finance, law, asset management, and public service.
Together, they provide collective leadership that supports CIIC’s mission to empower our people, our places, and our future.

 

At the CIIC Board strategy retreat held late 2025, the Board devoted significant time to reflecting on how it operates as a governing body and how it might strengthen processes to provide more effective strategic leadership and governance. The Board agreed that its broad portfolio requires a stronger oversight structure that adds checks and balances before items reach the Board table. It was therefore resolved to establish two Board Subcommittees; 1) Assets Subcommittee; and
2) Risk, Audit and Services Subcommittee.

 

Members of the Subcommittees is as follows:

Asset Subcommittee

  • Rohan Ellis (Chair)
  • Arama Wichman****
  • Patrick Arioka
  • Tangata-Fletcher Melvin
 

 Risk, Audit and Services Subcommittee

  • Olivia Heather-Halston
  • Sharyn Paio
  • Halatoa Fua
Board members are supported by the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Management Team, who lead day-to-day operations and implement the strategic plan. Together, the Board and management work in partnership to deliver on the vision of… “Quality public assets that empower our people, our places, our future”.