Nasfund Chief Financial Officer Debbie Oli has underscored the importance of financial literacy for women leaders, encouraging participants in 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, Oli led a practical session designed to help women from diverse professional backgrounds strengthen their financial knowledge.
"The programme had a mix of women with no finance background at all and some finance specialists," Oli said.
"My presentation focused on helping participants understand how to interpret financial statements."
The session covered the three core financial statements — the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement — explaining how each provides insights into an organisation's financial position, performance and long-term sustainability.
Oli also highlighted the role of finance within organisations, outlining key financial indicators and warning signs that leaders should recognise when making strategic decisions.
The three-month SEWP Cohort 23 leadership development programme is delivered by the PNG Business Coalition for Women for women in executive and senior management roles across Papua New Guinea. It aims to strengthen leadership capability, improve business acumen, build confidence and expand professional networks.
Drawing on her experience in finance, Oli also introduced participants to the Supa Calculator, a tool that helps users understand long-term financial wellbeing and the impact 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 said.
Reflecting on the session, Oli described it as an interactive and meaningful discussion focused on empowering women to make informed financial decisions in both their professional and personal lives.
The programme continues to equip women leaders in Papua New Guinea with the knowledge, skills and networks needed to succeed in senior leadership roles and create greater impact within their organisations.
