Salā Marie Young

Founder & Managing Director, PEP

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Salā Marie Young is an entrepreneur, educator, and grassroots governance specialist with a 20-year track record of building and leading innovative ventures. She co-founded and served as Chief Operations Officer for a multinational marketing firm, managing a diverse team that helped global brands connect with Chinese audiences. Today, with her husband and business partner Suitauloa Simon Young, and as the founder of PEP, she mentors and equips Pacific-led organisations and entrepreneurs, blending Indigenous governance principles with modern business strategies to drive sustainable impact.

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A matai (chief) from Le’auvaa, Samoa, Salā is deeply committed to integrating Samoan cultural values with governance and entrepreneurship, ensuring that Pacific communities thrive without sacrificing their cultural identity. Her Koko Model™, developed during her Master of Technological Futures (MTF) thesis, is a groundbreaking approach that helps researchers and business leaders navigate complex conversations with greater ease, safety, and relational depth.

 

Currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) at the University of Otago, Salā has been awarded the Ministry of Education 2025 Tagaloa PhD Scholarship for her pioneering research on Samoan Indigenous grassroots governance. Her work focuses on strengthening Pacific early learning services by balancing cultural preservation with financial sustainability—a challenge faced by many Indigenous-led organisations. Salā firmly believes that success and culture are not mutually exclusive. Pacific young people can innovate, lead, and excel without compromising their identity or risking cultural assimilation.