MR MASON SMITH
Permanent Secretary for Defence
Mr Mason Smith is currently the Permanent Secretary for Defence and Veterans Affairs and took up his position in July 2023. In his current role, he is responsible for the effective and efficient leadership and management of the Ministry in terms of policy advice and support to the Government of Fiji, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, and the private security industry. Prior to this, Mr Smith was Regional Director for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Oceania and was based at IUCN’s regional office in Suva Fiji. In this capacity, Mason was responsible for the overall leadership and management of IUCN’s Programme and projects in Oceania including Australia and New Zealand. He is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College and a graduate of the University of Canberra and currently holds a Masters in Management –Defence Studies (MMDS) and a postgraduate certificate in Diplomacy from the University of Fiji. He is also a fellow of the Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies. Mason has served in various capacities in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, the private sector, the Government of Fiji, including a stint as Fiji’s acting head of Mission at the United Nations in New York and as Permanent Secretary for Agriculture in Fiji. He has also served in various Boards and is currently engaged in a number community and charitable projects. Mason is also heavily involved with raising awareness and funds to treat prostate cancer in men. His hobbies include keeping fit, playing sports, gardening, fishing and reading.
