Service, stewardship and resilience
IN a contemporary world where leadership is often measured by growth gures, in uence and visibility, Leadership Fiji alumni Leone and Lara Vokai offer a model that is characterised by service, community responsibility and environmental stewardship.
The husband-and-wife team behind Nukubati Private Island Resort in Macuata represents a growing generation of Fijian leaders who see business not merely as a commercial enterprise, but as a platform for creating social, cultural and environmental value.
Their story is not simply about managing an eco-resort on a remote island off Vanua Levu, it is about how leadership evolves through adversity, relationships and a deep sense of purpose.
When Leone and Lara joined Leadership Fiji in 2021, they were emerging from one of the most difficult periods of their lives and careers. The tourism industry had been crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic while Tropical Cyclone Yasa had left signi cant destruction across northern Fiji, including Nukubati.
Rather than retreating into survival mode, the experience reshaped how they viewed leadership.
“Leadership Fiji taught us that leadership is service,” Leone said.
“It is listening, bringing people together and protecting what matters for future generations.”
That philosophy has become the foundation of how they lead their business, engage with communities and advocate for environmental protection.
Beyond the bottom line
One of the most striking aspects of the Vokais’ leadership approach is their rejection of the traditional separation between business success and social responsibility.
Lara shared that tourism cannot exist in isolation from the communities and ecosystems that sustain it.
“Tourism has a responsibility beyond just hosting guests,” she said.
“I now see Nukubati not just as a resort, but a living ecosystem and community that we are caretakers of for a period of time.”
This perspective reects an increasingly important shift in contemporary leadership thinking. Around the world, organisations are being challenged to move beyond shareholder value and embrace broader responsibilities to stakeholders, communities and the environment.
The Vokais have adopted this philosophy through what they describe as regenerative tourism.
Unlike sustainability, which focuses on minimising harm, regenerative tourism seeks to leave places better than they were before.
At Nukubati, this includes mangrove protection, coastal forest restoration, composting systems, environmental education and creating opportunities that encourage young people to remain connected to their villages and cultural heritage.
The approach highlights an important lesson for leaders across all sectors: long-term success increasingly depends on strengthening the systems that support an organisation, rather than simply extracting value from them.
Leading through partnership
Leadership literature often focuses on individual achievement, but the Vokais demonstrate the power of collaborative leadership.
Living and working together on a remote island means there is little distinction between professional and personal life.
Their success has relied on recognising and leveraging their complementary strengths.
Lara focuses on operations, strategic planning, storytelling and business networks. Leone brings extensive community relationships, practical expertise and a deep connection to the marine environment.
Their ability to share leadership responsibilities re ects a broader principle increasingly recognised in modern organisations: leadership is rarely effective when concentrated in a single individual.
Instead, successful leadership teams create space for different perspectives, skills and approaches to coexist.
“We have learnt when to support each other and when to step back and let the other lead in their area,” Leone said.
This willingness to share authority rather than compete for it is a de ning characteristic of high-performing leadership partnerships.
Resilience forged through adversity
Perhaps the strongest leadership lesson emerging from the Vokais’ experience is the role adversity plays in shaping effective leaders.
Cyclone Yasa and the pandemic tested not only their business, but also their personal resilience.
Yet both describe the recovery process as a lesson in collective leadership.
“Resilience is collective,” Lara said.
“We rebuilt because people came together — staff, my family, villages and friends.”
The statement challenges the common perception of leaders as individuals who singlehandedly guide organisations through crises.
Instead, the Vokais emphasise that resilience is built through relationships, trust and community networks established long before disaster strikes.
For organisations across Fiji, where climate-related events are becoming increasingly frequent, this lesson carries signi cant relevance.
Future leadership will depend not only on operational competence, but also on the ability to foster strong partnerships and community connections capable of withstanding disruption.
Stewardship in the Pacific context
The Vokais’ views also re ect a distinctly Paci c understanding of leadership.
While Western leadership models often emphasise personal achievement and authority, Paci c leadership traditions place greater emphasis on relationships, humility and stewardship.
“Leadership is deeply relational,” they said.
“It is about community, humility and stewardship rather than individual achievement.”
This philosophy is evident in how they view environmental conservation.
Leone’s work on the Great Sea Reef has given him rsthand insight into both the beauty and vulnerability of Fiji’s marine ecosystems.
He has observed coral bleaching, rising ocean temperatures and increasing plastic pollution, yet remains optimistic about the resilience of natural systems when properly protected.
The couple have become outspoken advocates for improved waste management and stronger environmental protection, arguing that safeguarding Fiji’s oceans should be treated as a national priority.
Their leadership demonstrates that stewardship extends beyond natural resources.
It also involves protecting cultural knowledge, community wellbeing and opportunities for future generations.
Investing in future leaders
Another de ning aspect of the Vokais’ leadership philosophy is their commitment to youth development.
Through the Nukubati Community Foundation, they support educational initiatives at Qumusea District School and other schools in the surrounding area.
Their belief is simple: meaningful leadership must involve creating opportunities for others.
“Young people will inherit the consequences of the decisions we make today,” they said.
The emphasis on youth leadership re ects a long-term perspective often missing from shortterm organisational planning.
By investing in education, conservation awareness and community development, the Vokais are helping build the leadership capacity Fiji will need in the future.
A model for modern leadership
The Vokais’ story offers valuable lessons of the country as it navigates through a range of challenges from climate change to economic development and social transformation.
Their leadership is not built on status, titles or personal recognition.
Instead, it has a steady foundation in the values of in service, resilience, stewardship and a commitment to collective wellbeing.
Leadership Fiji helped expand their understanding of these responsibilities, but their experience also demonstrates that leadership is ultimately learned through action.
Whether rebuilding after a cyclone, protecting marine ecosystems or supporting local schools, Leone and Lara Vokai embody a form of leadership increasingly relevant, and which is needed in the 21st century.
Success is measured not only by what is achieved today, but by what is preserved and strengthened for future generations.