Business School alumna Samantha Cook appointed to the High Court of Fiji

An alumna of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Sydney Business School, Samantha Cook, has been admitted to the High Court of Fiji.

Samantha, who graduated from the MBA in 2018, described the appointment as “a career milestone” to be admitted to such a prestigious position in another jurisdiction, and an incredible opportunity to drive social change in the region.

“The MBA helped me in countless ways to get to the point I am at in my career. Of course, there are all of the practical teachings from the course – finance and marketing, for example, which I use regularly in my work. But the MBA also instilled ‘best practice’ leadership skills and values that I have taken with me,” said Samantha.

“My time in Fiji has shown me that while cultural practices can differ from Australia, the qualities in a strong leader are the same – empathy, resilience, effective communication and leading with purpose.”

Scholarship supporting future leaders

Samantha was awarded the $60,000 Emerging Leaders MBA Scholarship by the University of Sydney Business School and the Australian Financial Review BOSS Magazine in 2015 for her passion and impressive legal accomplishments, particularly in the area of cross-border and international business transactions.

MBA Program Director Professor Guy Ford congratulated Samantha on the incredible achievement. “Leadership sits at the very heart of our MBA program, no matter which fields our graduates study in. We are delighted about Samantha’s appointment and to hear how her studies in the program have assisted her in her accomplishments.

“Samantha’s use of the leadership, collaboration and stakeholder management skills gained through the program to enact social change and empower the region through the private sector in Fiji is exactly the type of universality the MBA program is designed to deliver. We are sure this new position will allow an even greater positive impact.”

Contributing to Fiji’s economic recovery from COVID

Samantha reflected, “Being in-country and having recognised qualifications presents significantly more opportunities to drive social change. I have always been passionate about utilizing the private sector as a means to enhance economic prosperity within the region.

“We are only starting to witness the economic impacts on Pacific countries as a result of COVID-19. The Fijian economy is heavily reliant on tourism, and so many businesses will require assistance to reset and rebuild – this is something I can now become more actively involved in at a grassroots level. I hope I can contribute to this in a more meaningful way alongside many of my Fijian professional colleagues who are providing such in-kind support and assistance within their local communities.”