Simon led the design and implementation of a local enterprise development and supply chain linkages programme in Papua in support of a major long-term industrial investment. The board and senior stakeholders recognised that without a credible local participation framework, the project carried material social and reputational risk and that strengthening regional business capability was both a commercial imperative and a licence-to-operate requirement.
He led board and senior-stakeholder engagement, designed the programme’s core strategy and operating model, recruited and managed the delivery team, and directly oversaw field implementation across the Bird’s Head region.
The programme combined strategy development, programme planning, field deployment, mentoring, training design, monitoring, and continuous improvement. Its focus was on strengthening local business capability, improving supplier readiness, and increasing the capacity of regional enterprises to compete in tender processes and win work.
Under Simon’s leadership, the mandate delivered diagnostic surveying of 70+ SMEs, targeted business and technical gap analysis, and structured upskilling for 60+ enterprises, creating a more credible pathway for local participation in project-related and broader commercial opportunities while materially reducing social risk and community unrest exposure around a strategically important capital project.