Sirma joined the Meat Industry Association (MIA) as Trade and Economic Manager in March 2015 following a career in the public sector during which she developed a deep knowledge of trade policy and significant trade negotiations experience.  

During her time with the Ministry for Primary Industries, she was involved in progressing the primary sector’s interests in the negotiations of goods market access and sanitary and phytosanitary provisions in New Zealand’s free trade agreements. Sirma also worked with the Ministry of Economic Development (now the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) in negotiating and implementing New Zealand’s technical barriers to trade obligations. Sirma has represented New Zealand’s interests at a number of international forums including the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

She was appointed CEO of MIA in April 2020 and leads advocacy for the red meat industry across a wide range of issues including trade and market access, economic policy, immigration, industrial relations, innovation and research and development. The red meat industry is the country’s second largest goods exporter and a significant contributor to the New Zealand economy.