Nasfund participates at the PNG Business Coalition for Women’s (BCFW) Senior Executive Women’s Programme (SEWP) Cohort 23

Nasfund Chief Financial Officer Debbie Oli has highlighted the importance of financial literacy for women leaders, encouraging participants of the PNG Business Coalition for Women’s (BCFW) Senior Executive Women’s Programme (SEWP) Cohort 23 to build confidence in understanding and interpreting financial statements.

Speaking during the programme last week, Ms. Oli delivered a practical session aimed at helping participants understand financial reporting for women leaders from different professional backgrounds.

"The program had a mix of women with no finance background at all and some finance specialists," Ms. Oli said. 

"My presentation focused on helping participants understand how to interpret financial statements."

During the session, Ms. Oli guided participants through the three fundamental financial statements, Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Cash Flow Statement highlighting how each provides critical insights into an organisation’s financial position, performance, and sustainability.

She also emphasized the importance of understanding the role of finance within an organisation and identifying key financial indicators and potential red flags that leaders should be aware of when making strategic decisions.

The Senior Executive Women’s Programme (SEWP) Cohort 23 is a three-month leadership development initiative delivered by the PNG Business Coalition for Women. Designed for women in executive and senior management positions across Papua New Guinea, the programme aims to strengthen leadership capability, enhance business acumen, build confidence, and expand professional networks.

Drawing on her experience as an expert in finance Oli also shared practical insights on  financial planning, introducing participants to the Supa Calculator as a tool to better understand long-term financial wellbeing and the effects of inflation on retirement savings.

"The exercise allowed participants to see how their spending habits could impact their future savings and to explore options that could help increase their Super balance over time," she explained.

Reflecting on her engagement with the cohort, Ms. Oli described the session as an interactive and meaningful conversation centered on empowering women to make informed financial decisions both professionally and personally.

SEWP continues to equip Papua New Guinean women leaders with the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to thrive in senior leadership roles and drive greater impact within their organisations.