Jamaica’s Economic Transformation to Be Highlighted At Caribbean CFO Summit

Governor of the Bank of Jamaica, Richard Byles, will highlight Jamaica’s economic turnaround and the implications for regional growth, at the annual Caribbean Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Summit scheduled for March 24 to 25.

The two-day virtual event, to be held on the ON24 platform, will bring together CFOs, finance leaders, regulators, business owners and entrepreneurs from across the region. It is being staged by Signature Creed and Associates (SCA).

Speaking at a JIS Think Tank on March 16, Partner at Signature Creed and Associates, Kevon McIntosh, said Mr. Byles’ keynote contribution will anchor the first day of the conference, which is focused on transformation and regional growth.

“His topic will focus on regional excellence in terms of how we manage or excel in terms of our economic growth,” he said.

He emphasised that the Governor’s presentation will highlight Jamaica’s economic progress in recent years, positioning the country as a leading example of successful turnaround within the Caribbean.

“He is speaking from the perspective that Jamaica has, over the last couple of years, shown one of the most marvellous turnaround stories within the Caribbean,” Mr. McIntosh noted.

He said that Jamaica’s experience has increasingly become a reference point for corporate and economic recovery, making Mr. Byles’ insights particularly valuable to CFOs and senior decision-makers.

“If you should research… the best-case studies in terms of a corporate turnaround, Jamaica will come up as one of the main topics. What we want to do is be able to share that story again and again to say, this is what was done; this is what local company CFOs can learn from, and this is how you can apply that to your company,” Mr. McIntosh stated.

The second day of the summit will focus on international growth and exploring how Caribbean entities can scale globally.

Mr. McIntosh told JIS News that the conference agenda has been deliberately structured to address the real challenges faced by organisations, both in the public and private sectors.

“The topics are relevant not just for the private sector but also public-sector companies. At times, they are in financially stressful environments and they want to understand, how do I navigate this? Has someone done this before? What did they do and how can I apply this to my organisation?” he said.

Managing and Tax Partner at Signature Creed and Associates, Denzel Whyte, is encouraging wide participation, noting that the summit is designed to break down traditional boundaries between sectors and professions.

“If you’re in the public sector, you ought to have an appreciation of the private sector. We want you to see yourselves as dynamic and without borders, so, that’s why we’re inviting the Caribbean CFOs to come together,” he said.

“Whether it is public or private, you want to see yourself as limitless in what you can contribute,” he added.

Mr. Whyte said that the inclusion of Mr. Byles as a featured speaker reflects the organisers’ commitment to fostering open dialogue and knowledge-sharing.

“We don’t want this to be a closed encounter, but an open encounter,” he told JIS News.