Rate My Professor Sai Ratulomai

Sai Ratulomai serves as the Senior Strategic Leader Pacific in the Director's Office of the Human Resources Division at the University of Otago. With more than 26 years of dedicated experience in human resources, encompassing people management, organisational culture, and capability building, Ratulomai has cultivated a career marked by a profound passion for creating supportive and engaging workplace environments. This professional journey commenced during a Management Cadet Programme with a major retail organisation in Fiji, where a formative six-month placement in the HR function—known at the time as the Personnel Department—ignited an enduring interest in working with people and promoting positive organisational dynamics. Ratulomai emphasises the importance of ensuring employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to enjoy their work, particularly during difficult periods, reflecting a core commitment to employee well-being and engagement.

A key highlight in Ratulomai's career was the role of Manager HR at a land transport organisation, where strategic HR initiatives were implemented to overhaul the company from a high-risk entity into an exemplary flagship operation. This transformation earned widespread acclaim, attracting study groups from diverse organisations keen to observe and adopt the effective practices and methodologies employed. Ratulomai holds a PhD that examines organisational culture, specifically exploring how values-driven cultures foster sustained high performance and competitive advantage. Joining the University of Otago stands out as another pivotal achievement, fulfilling aspirations for strategic influence in equity domains, with a particular focus on Pacific initiatives, and providing avenues to advance academic dimensions of their expertise. As a Chartered Member of HRNZ (CMHRNZ), attained via a stringent assessment of skills and strategic accomplishments, Ratulomai gains national and global recognition. Moving forward, ambitions include evolving as a strategic HR leader, broadening impact throughout Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific region, and advancing the profession through research, publications, thought leadership, and mentoring in organisational culture, leadership, and people capability.