12/10/2026
FROM ROKU VILLAGE TO LEADERSHIP
A story of sacrifice, perseverance, opportunity and the payoff from investing in people
There are promotions that recognise a new position, and there are promotions that tell a much bigger story. Nopiri Dekeva’s promotion to Manager Finance and Administration of Toea Homes Limited (THL) is one of those stories.
His journey did not begin with privilege or certainty. It began in Roku Village in Central Province, where he was raised with three siblings by his mother, Dekeva Mabi, who carried the responsibility of providing for the family on her own. She had no formal employment. She sold seashells and took whatever work she could find to put food on the table and keep her children moving forward. There were times when the family lived with relatives under one roof, and nights when there simply was not enough food for everyone.
Yet from those difficult beginnings came discipline, resilience and a determination to make something of every opportunity. Nopiri progressed from Roku Community School to Porebada Primary School, Redscar High School and Sogeri National High School before earning a place at the University of Papua New Guinea to study Business and Management.
Then, while he was at university, tragedy struck. His mother - the woman who had sacrificed so much and carried the family through its hardest years - passed away before she could see the full reward of those sacrifices. For a young man still trying to complete his education and build a future, it was a devastating loss. But he kept going. The sacrifices his mother made became part of the motivation that carried him forward.
FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
After graduating from university, Nopiri faced another difficult chapter. A degree did not translate immediately into employment. For almost two years he struggled to find work while trying to build a future and support his young family. When an opportunity finally came, it was not an accounting or management position, but casual work as a Wharf and Gate Clerk with Avenell Engineering Systems Limited. He took it with humility and determination, believing that no job was too small when you were trying to build your future. Through hard work and a willingness to learn, he was later promoted to Berth Planner, laying the foundation for the professional career that would follow.
His journey eventually brought him to Comrade Trustee Services Limited (CTSL) as a Fund Accountant. From there, he continued to earn greater responsibility, progressing through Financial Accountant, Management Accountant and Team Leader roles while strengthening his capability across financial reporting, fund accounting, budgeting, forecasting, prudential reporting, governance and leadership.
“Promotion is not a reward for what an employee has done; it is a strategic investment in what the employee can continue next.”
- Charlie Gilichibi, CEO, CTSL
Nopiri fits naturally into the culture CTSL has deliberately built. He is hardworking, accountable, humble and willing to take responsibility when difficult work needs to be done. He contributes significantly to shaping our high-performance culture - a workplace where people feel safe, supported and genuinely excited about coming to work, with many staff arriving even before 7.00am because they want to be here and contribute.
STEPPING UP WHEN THL NEEDED HIM
One of the strongest demonstrations of Nopiri’s capability came when he was seconded from CTSL to THL to help address its long-outstanding financial audits and strengthen its finance function. It was not an easy assignment.
Nopiri contributed significantly to the completion of the 2022 audit and then helped drive the completion of the outstanding 2023, 2024 and 2025 audits. In the process, he helped stabilise THL’s accounting function and strengthen financial management, reporting, governance and administration.
“I thank Nopiri for his service to CTSL and subsequently to THL. He is a great pleasure to work with everyday. He stepped into a difficult environment, helped stabilise the accounting function and contributed significantly to completing years of outstanding audits. He continues to do great work, and this promotion is thoroughly deserved.” - Charlie Gilichibi, CEO, CTSL
SUCCESSION PLANNING THAT IS NOW PAYING OFF
Nopiri’s story is also part of a wider transformation at CTSL. Since 2020, we have deliberately developed a succession plan focused on identifying talent, developing leadership capability and creating pathways for our people to grow into larger responsibilities. That programme is now at a mature stage where CTSL can increasingly harvest from the talent it has developed internally to fill key roles going forward.
• Dorothy Duwaba - after serving as Personal Assistant to the CEO for more than 10 years, progressed into the role of Risk and Compliance Officer.
• Mary Tamarua - progressed from Manager Investments to General Manager Investments.
• Darusilla Musi - progressed from General Manager Human Resources to General Manager Corporate Services, taking on broader responsibilities.
• Nopiri Dekeva - developed through multiple finance roles within CTSL and has now progressed to Manager Finance and Administration of THL.
CTSL has supported that succession pipeline with substantial investment in education and professional development, both locally and overseas.
Company Secretary Raka Raula undertook an executive programme at Harvard University with a similar leadership and governance focus to advanced director education at the Australia Institute of Company Directors (AICD). Nopiri is currently undertaking a Master of Professional Accounting through the University of New England in New South Wales, Australia. Two employees have graduated from MBA studies through UPNG and UNITECH respectively; five employees are undertaking various degree programmes through UNITECH’s online platform; and others are completing degree and diploma programmes through PNGHRI, ITI and Datec.
This is what succession planning should look like in practice. It is not a document sitting on a shelf. It is about identifying potential, investing in people, exposing them to increasingly difficult responsibilities, and then trusting them to step up when the opportunity comes.
THE PAYOFF
From a childhood where his mother struggled alone to provide for four children, to losing her while he was still pursuing his university education; from graduating and then spending almost two years struggling to find employment, to accepting casual work simply to get a start; and from there to building a professional career in finance and leadership - Nopiri’s journey has never been about an easy road.
His story is also a reminder that individual determination produces its greatest results when an organisation is prepared to recognise potential and invest in it. Nopiri brought the discipline, resilience and willingness to learn. CTSL provided the environment, opportunities, training and succession pathway for that potential to continue developing.
Today, he is continuing that journey while studying toward his Master of Professional Accounting and leading the Finance and Administration function at THL. The young boy from Roku Village, raised by a single mother who did everything she could to give her children a chance, is now helping lead and strengthen an important subsidiary of CTSL.
On behalf of the CTSL and THL Boards, management and staff, I congratulate Nopiri Dekeva on his well-deserved promotion to Manager Finance and Administration of Toea Homes Limited. He has stabilised our accounting function and continues to do great work.
We thank him for his service, congratulate him on this next chapter, and wish him every success into the future. Nopiri is another great example of what can happen when perseverance meets opportunity - and when an organisation has a genuine succession plan and talent development programme in place.
Charlie Gilichibi
Chief Executive Officer
Comrade Trustee Services Limited (CTSL)
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