Edgar Cocker appointed as CEO for the Ministry of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation and Labour ^Featured

Mr Cocker holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA – 1991) and a Master of Science in Community Economic Development (Ms – 1990) from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), New Hampshire, United States of America.

Mr Cocker’s career in the public service began on 03 August, 2007 when he was appointed as Director of Tourism for the then Ministry of Tourism. However, prior to his appointment as Director of Tourism, Mr Cocker began his career in the private sector where he held various senior Financial positions at the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd, Tonga Water Board, Friendly Islands Marketing Corporative (FIMCO) from 1982 to 1992.

In March 1992, he joined the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Fiji as Marketing and Trade Officer to the Pacific Island Forum Countries until December, 2000. He also served in the Board of Directors of the Tourism Council of the South Pacific (TCSP) while he was with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) in Suva, Fiji.

After his nine (9) year term with PIFS in Fiji, he became the Director for the Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Services (CREES) under the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Northern Mariana Islands from 2001 to November, 2005.

He was also the National Procurement Officer for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Grant project on Climate Resilience Sector Project (CRSP) under the Ministry of Infrastructure (MOI). Mr Cocker is well known in the Private Sector as an entrepreneur and businessman and is currently completing a consultancy for the Ministry of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation and Labour on PACER Plus before he takes up his appointment on October 30th 2017.

Mr Cocker has sat on various professional committees and was President of Manufacturing Association of Tonga, and Full and Executive Council for Tonga Chamber of Commerce, and Executive of Tonga Business Education Centre (TBEC).

The Public Service Commission wishes Mr Edgar Cocker’s appointment as the CEO for the Ministry of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation and Labour, and wishes him a successful and a fulfilling term in Office.

-PSC