About
Commercial judgement.
Experience to deliver.
Filifotu Vaʻai
Founder & Principal · FV Consulting
I have spent 20 years leading businesses through growth, transformation and change. My experience spans executive leadership at Hawaiian Telcom, country P&L accountability in American Samoa, and regional commercial leadership across the Pacific.
I bring that operating experience to my advisory work: understanding the commercial realities, making the trade-offs clear and helping people turn decisions into progress. Clients work directly with me, with specialist partners brought in when an assignment requires additional expertise.
Career & leadership experience
FV Consulting
2026–present
Founder & Principal
Commercial strategy, business performance, practical AI readiness, executive leadership and governance. Engagements connect independent advice with the support needed to move priorities forward.
Hawaiian Telcom
2023–2026 · Hawaiʻi
VP Business Sales & Operations; VP I Enterprise Sales
Held US$165M in B2B revenue responsibility and led up to 80 people across sales, product, operations, contact centre and network engineering, subsequently focusing on enterprise sales. Improved business product portfolio margin by 14% year on year and grew enterprise data revenue by US$2M.
Led commercial transformation, strategic customer relationships and major enterprise and government pursuits. Reduced expenses by more than 14%. Reported to the Board in executive roles, connecting commercial performance with strategic priorities.
Hawaiian Telcom
2022–2023 · Hawaiʻi
VP Consumer Sales & Product
US$150M in consumer revenue responsibility and leadership of a 50-person organisation. Delivered 15% annual new-customer growth and 15% fibre-adoption growth through product, channel, campaign and delivery improvements.
Hawaiian Telcom
2017–2022 · Hawaiʻi
Executive Director & Director roles
Progressively promoted across sales, product and strategy, with responsibility for pricing, channels, retention and commercial programmes. Supported integration following acquisitions by Cincinnati Bell and Macquarie Asset Management.
Bluesky Pacific Group & Vodafone Fiji
2015–2017 · American Samoa
Country Manager
Full P&L and operational accountability for a 165-person business with 10 direct reports. Delivered 16% annual revenue growth and 10% EBITDA improvement, increasing market share from 55% to 69%.
Led Board, government and regulatory relationships alongside investment, service performance and market growth. Served as commercial due-diligence lead for the Bluesky transaction with Vodafone Fiji and led integration priorities, brand transition and the move to local leadership.
Bluesky Pacific Group
2011–2015 · Regional
Marketing Director
Led a 65-person regional organisation across Samoa, American Samoa and the Cook Islands. Responsibilities spanned sales, retail, marketing, pricing, products and partnerships. Delivered 21% market-share growth in Samoa and led commercial work on network launches, rebrands and acquired-business integration.
SamoaTel & US Federal Communications Commission
Earlier career
Product, interconnection & regulatory experience
Product strategy, international carrier partnerships, interconnection and revenue assurance, alongside research supporting the US Congressional Satellite Competition Report.
Governance & professional engagement
Governance service
Former Trustee, Public Schools of Hawaiʻi Foundation.
Former Board Member, American Samoa Chamber of Commerce.
Membership & recognition
Member, Institute of Directors New Zealand.
Distinguished Alumni Award 2026 · University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, School of Communication and Information.
Presenter, Pacific Telecommunications Council · 2015 and 2023.
Education
Master of Arts in Communications, Telecommunications · University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Bachelor of Commerce and Administration with Honours · Information Systems, Commercial Law and eCommerce · Victoria University of Wellington.
Results relate to previous executive roles. B2B and consumer revenue responsibilities were held in successive roles.