Management
East Timor Trading Group is governed by Chairman of the Board and Founder Mr Sakib Awan. He leads a capable and passionate management committee consisting of five highly qualified, experienced and entrepreneurial executive managers, overseen by Chief Executive Officer Milena Pires, who runs the daily operations of East Timor Trading Group.
Milena Pires
CEO Designate
Ms Pires comes to East Timor Trading after an extensive public sector career, during which she has held a variety of influential and high-profile positions. She is a skilled natural negotiator driven by an exceptional clarity of vision.
She represented Timorese women at the National Consultative Council (NCC), reporting to then Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, the late Sergio Vieira de Melo, and later became the body’s vice president, with H.E. Xanana Gusmão as its President.
Ms Pires has been a member of the Constituent Assembly, which wrote the Constitution of Timor-Leste, and the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. From 2016 to 2020, she led the Timor-Leste Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, and diplomatic efforts to give the g7+ Permanent Observer Status at the UN General Assembly.
Ms Pires is a highly educated, dynamic person who has always shown a dedication to the service of her country. As she makes her seamless transition from global public roles into her first role in the private sector, ETT is proud and fortunate to have her driving our business and continuing our mission to truly make a difference in the lives of the Timorese people.
Milena Pires
CEO Designate
Ms Pires comes to East Timor Trading after an extensive public sector career, during which she has held a variety of influential and high-profile positions.
She represented Timorese women at the National Consultative Council (NCC), reporting to then Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, the late Sergio Vieira de Melo, and later became the body’s vice president, with H.E. Xanana Gusmão as its President.
Ms Pires has been a member of the Constituent Assembly, which wrote the Constitution of Timor-Leste, and the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. From 2016 to 2020, she led the Timor-Leste Permanent Mission to the United Nations, and diplomatic efforts to give the g7+ Permanent Observer Status at the UN General Assembly.
Milena is a highly educated, dynamic person who has always shown a dedication to the service of her country and supported the Timorese people and we are pleased to have Ms Pires on board in her first private sector role.
Joel Fonseca
Chief Financial Officer
Prior to joining East Timor Trading as our CFO, Joel Fonseca worked for 15 years in financial planning and corporate finance and brings with him a wealth of experience in the infrastructure sector. This includes direct management of construction testing and approval phases and the establishment of long-term construction projects.
George da Silva
Board Director & Inhouse Senior Legal Counsel
George Barbosa da Silva, a distinguished lawyer with significant experience in Timor-Leste, joined as the group legal counsel in 2023.
Holding a Master of Laws degree from the University of Melbourne and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Global Business from the University of Oxford, he brings a wealth of expertise.
Mr Silva has provided counsel to international organizations including the IFC, World Bank, and the United Nations, in addition to numerous Timorese government departments. This strategic appointment underscores ETTG’s commitment to in-house legal expertise and comprehensive understand of local legal, political and social dynamics.
George da Silva
Board Director & Inhouse Senior Legal
George Barbosa da Silva, a distinguished lawyer with significant experience in Timor-Leste, joined as the group legal counsel in 2023.
Holding a Master of Laws degree from the University of Melbourne and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Global Business from the University of Oxford, he brings a wealth of expertise.
Mr Silva has provided counsel to international organizations including the IFC, World Bank, and the United Nations, in addition to numerous Timorese government departments. This strategic appointment underscores ETTG’s commitment to in-house legal expertise and comprehensive understand of local legal, political and social dynamics.
Sher Khan
Board Director & Commercial Director
In his capacity as the Commercial Director at ETT, Sher plays a pivotal role in the company’s operations, overseeing sales, distribution, retail, hospitality, and brand development.
With an Engineering degree in Information System and Operations Management, his expertise lies in optimizing systems to enhance organizational productivity. Sher’s professional Journey began in North America, where he excelled in brand development in the sales and retail sector. Having now transitioned to Dili, Timor-Leste, his focus is set on expanding ETT’s existing capabilities.
Responsible for driving growth strategies, nurturing strategic partnerships, and commercial spearheading initiatives, he is dedicated to propelling ETT to new heights with his unwavering commitment to innovation and efficiency.
Sher Khan
Board Director & Commercial Director
In his capacity as the Commercial Director at ETT, Sher plays a pivotal role in the company’s operations, overseeing sales, distribution, retail, hospitality, and brand development.
With an Engineering degree in Information System and Operations Management, his expertise lies in optimizing systems to enhance organizational productivity. Sher’s professional Journey began in North America, where he excelled in brand development in the sales and retail sector. Having now transitioned to Dili, Timor-Leste, his focus is set on expanding ETT’s existing capabilities.
Responsible for driving growth strategies, nurturing strategic partnerships, and commercial spearheading initiatives, he is dedicated to propelling ETT to new heights with his unwavering commitment to innovation and efficiency.
Consultants to the Board
Ross Muir
Economic Development Advisor
David Longfield
Communications Advisor
Ross Muir is an advisor to the ETT Board on matters relating to economic development. He has a background of working with developing Asian economies and in Northern Australia. An economist by training, Ross brings extensive domestic and international government consultation and negotiation skills from his experience as director of various Asian aid programs for 20 years with AusAID. Before that, with DFAT, he served in Jakarta as an Australian diplomat. More recently, he was director of the Northern Territory Government’s growth planning unit and, later, a senior advisor in the taskforce that prepared the Australian Government’s 2015 white paper on developing northern Australia.
Through his company Longueville Media, David Longfield is a communications advisor to the ETT Board. His extensive experience in academic and corporate publishing and writing includes producing works for Clayton Utz Lawyers, Fujitsu, Microsoft, members of the Government of Timor-Leste, and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He helped to establish and then manage the publishing program for Australia’s Lowy Institute for International Policy.
