Pacific Trade Invest: Connecting the Pacific in a Digitally Fragmented World
The Client
Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) is the leading trade, investment, and tourism promotion agency for the Pacific region, representing multiple trade commissioners and in-country offices. Their mission: to foster economic growth by connecting Pacific businesses with global markets, particularly in aid donor countries.
The Challenge
The Pacific region presents a unique mix of geographic isolation, time zone fragmentation, and varying technological maturity across member states.
PTI needed a strategy that would unify operations, enable secure cross-border collaboration, and gradually build a more integrated and sophisticated digital ecosystem without disrupting existing operations.
PTI’s challenge was multi-layered:
Geographic Spread
Multiple offices across vast distances, requiring reliable collaboration and communication tools.
Time Zone Complexity
Coordinating operations between offices in the Pacific, Asia, and donor countries.
Language Diversity
Supporting operations in multiple languages while ensuring consistency of message and process.
China’s Digital Restrictions
Operating effectively inside and outside China’s “Great Firewall” while maintaining a unified digital platform.
Process Alignment
Disparate operational workflows between offices created inefficiencies and data silos.
The Solution
Citrus Global partnered with PTI to design and deliver a forward-looking digital strategy, built to handle both the technical and geopolitical challenges of the Pacific.
Digital Strategy Review
Conducted a comprehensive audit of PTI’s existing systems, communication platforms, and operational processes, mapping the bottlenecks and inefficiencies caused by geographic, technical, and regulatory barriers.
Principle-Led Future State Design
Established a set of guiding principles for a global operating model — scalable, secure, and adaptable to the Pacific’s diverse conditions.
Phased Transformation Roadmap
Designed multiple transition stages that would each deliver measurable value while building toward a fully integrated future state. These phases allowed PTI to adopt new tools and processes at a manageable pace without operational disruption.
China-Compatible Infrastructure
Developed a technology framework capable of operating both inside and outside China’s restricted internet environment, enabling seamless data sharing and communication across all offices.
Process Standardisation & Integration
Created unified workflows, aligned operational policies, and introduced systems with API and cloud-based capabilities to bridge cross-border gaps.
Results & Benefits
Through strategic planning and carefully staged execution, Citrus Global helped PTI bridge the technological and geographic gaps of the Pacific, enabling the organisation to operate as a cohesive, digitally capable global network.
Integrated Global Operations
PTI offices now operate on a shared platform that supports real-time collaboration across geographies, languages, and time zones.
Firewall-Resilient Connectivity
A robust infrastructure ensures that collaboration with China-based offices remains uninterrupted.
Scalable Transformation
The phased approach allows PTI to adopt new capabilities incrementally while maintaining service delivery.
Operational Consistency
Standardised processes have reduced duplication, improved data accuracy, and enhanced efficiency.
Stronger Market Outreach
The improved digital backbone has allowed PTI to respond faster to trade and investment opportunities.