Ewan Smith
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3 April 1951
- Businessman
- airline executive
Sir Ewan Smith | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Smith in 2019 | |
| Born | Ewan Francis Smith 3 April 1951 New Zealand |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Founder and managing director of Air Rarotonga |
| Spouse |
Fenny Manavaroa (m. 1984) |
| Children | 5 |
Sir Ewan Francis Smith KNZM (born 3 April 1951) is a Cook Islands-based aviation executive. He is the founder and managing director of Air Rarotonga.
Smith was born in New Zealand on 3 April 1951, the son of Audrey Smith (née Harris) and Elmer Smith, and spent his childhood in Rotorua.[1][2][3] He arrived in Rarotonga in 1973 at the age of 22 as a qualified pilot and licensed aircraft maintenance engineer, intending originally to stay only a few years.[4]
In 1984, Smith married Fenny Veronica Manavaroa in Rarotonga.[2] The couple went on to have five children.[5]
Career
Air Rarotonga
In 1978, Smith founded Air Rarotonga, and has since served as its managing director.[3] Under Smith’s leadership, Air Rarotonga became one of the Cook Islands' largest private-sector employers, with over 95 percent local staffing.[3]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith opted not to lay off any airline staff, placing all employees, including himself, on the minimum wage. The airline continued to operate essential services, including cargo deliveries, medical evacuations, and COVID-19 vaccine transportation throughout the Cook Islands and into Kiribati.[6]
Governance and appointments
Smith has served in various leadership roles in regional tourism and business. He has been chair of the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation since 2010, a former chair of the Association of South Pacific Airlines, and served as president of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce in 1996.[3][7]
Other activities
In 2023, Smith played a role in the launch of the vaka Teariki Moana in Aitutaki for the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting. The vaka later began operating as a tourism experience.[4][7] Smith has been patron of the Rarotonga Golf Club since 2005, and is a Fellow of the King's College Foundation in Auckland.[3]
Smith is also an author, professional photographer and amateur cook.[8]
