The LATAC team at the Department for International Trade (DIT) is excited to welcome delegates to the LATAC Roadshow 2021 on 1 – 4 March for a series of events to enhance commercial growth in LATAC.
Caribbean Session Info below
Did you know?…
- The region is comprised of 42 countries with a total population of over 646 million people.
- LATAC has a combined GDP of almost US$6 trillion and a GDP per capita forecasted to grow at a 2.5% per annum rate through 2024.
- With a growing middle class and expanding economies, this region offers many opportunities in a variety of sectors for UK companies…
What will be covered? For the first time they are delving into LATAC’s sub-regions and discussing those which are covered by trade agreements with the UK. In addition, and NEW for 2021, the event will feature specialist sector-focused sessions. Learn how your sector operates in LATAC and the potential for your company.
Delegates will discover a variety of markets and the possibilities for their company through our seminars, embracing the chance to explore their company’s ambitions with our specialists in 1-2-1 meetings.
What’s the format for this year? This year’s Roadshow will be hosted online meaning that companies have been able to select the most relevant sessions for their business’ needs. It will be held across 4 days to enable you to coordinate around your busy virtual schedule and in accordance with time zones, sessions and meetings will be held in UK afternoons.
CARIFORUM
A Focus on the English Speaking Caribbean Thursday, 4th March 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Session Description:
The English speaking Caribbean offers excellent opportunities for SMEs keen to grow and expand. With similar legal and regulatory processes, well- educated workforces, an appetite for diversification and a desire to create a more sustainable economies more resilient to natural disasters, pandemics and economic shocks, Caribbean nations are looking to partner with UK companies who can deliver cost effective, flexible and innovative solutions particularly in Cyber-Security, Education, Healthcare, Infrastructure and Renewable energy. With the Guyana boom in our backyard, our newly signed trade agreement with CARIFORUM and increasing opportunities including those generated by an active International Financial Institutions procurement programme across the region, there has never been a better time to explore the Caribbean as your next business opportunity.
Laura Ferguson Regional Director, DIT, Caribbean
“Laura joined the Department of International Trade in 2019, to lead the work of the DIT Caribbean team, bringing over 25 years of international corporate experience in FTSE100 firms across multiple sectors including Manufacturing, IT systems and Services, Telecoms and Oil & Gas. Based in Barbados she is responsible for the DIT teams in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Guyana and Suriname, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago and their work to increase trade and investment between the UK and the Caribbean. She works closely with the Caribbean Commonwealth Trade Envoy, Darren Henry, the Heads of Mission at post, FCDO partners and her DIT LATAC colleagues in a collective effort to position the Caribbean as a great place for UK companies to grow their business.”
Darren Henry Member of Parliament, House of Commons
Darren is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Broxtowe. Darren is also Trade Envoy to the Caribbean. The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy programme was established in 2012 by the then Prime Minister. Trade Envoys are personally appointed by the Prime Minister to raise the profile of British business to key decision makers within their designated market and in parallel, raise awareness of market opportunities to UK industry. As a personal representative, the Trade Envoy supports the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, to promote UK trade and encourage inward investment.
Reena Gopaul-Panchorie Country Director, DIT Trinidad and Tobago
Reena Gopaul-Panchorie’s career spans a range of areas such as international trade development and promotion, business development, project management, marketing & public relations, event management and corporate social responsibility. She has over 20 years’ experience in both the private and public sectors, having been previously employed at an international financial institution, the national trade promotion body of Trinidad and Tobago and a private regional market research company. At this time, Reena is the Country Director at the Department for International Trade, British High Commission in Port of Spain. With a regional focus on clean growth and energy transition, Reena works alongside her colleagues in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Guyana and Jamaica to promote commercial opportunities for UK plc. She also leads a dynamic and capable trade team, facilitating and supporting business linkages between the United Kingdom and Trinidad & Tobago. Specifically, she executes UK trade missions and market visits, provides programme arranging and market research services, sources export opportunities for wider promotion to UK business interests, identifies joint venture partners/agents/distributors and lobbies for trade policy changes when UK companies encounter bureaucratic or market access barriers locally.
Sherwyn Naughton Country Director, DIT Guyana
Sherwyn Naughton is the Country Director at DIT with seventeen years of experience in International Trade and Commercial Diplomacy. He has worked closely with both government and the private sector and has a great understanding of the economic landscape of Guyana.
D’Jamila Ward Trade Policy Manager , DIT Caribbean
Trade Policy Manager, Caribbean with overarching responsibility for assisting with the implementation of the newly transitioned CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and utilising the EPA to address market access barriers, aiding UK firms to access the CARIFORUM markets.
Sherry-Ann Blackett Senior Trade and Investment Officer and Country Lead, DIT Barbados
Sherry-Ann is the Senior Trade and Investment Officer and Country Lead based at the DIT offices in Bridgetown, Barbados. She has worked for the Department for over five years providing UK exporters with advice and support as they pursue commercial opportunities in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean markets. Sherry-Ann encourages UK firms to consider pursuing opportunities in the Eastern Caribbean as there are large opportunities in the clean-growth, education and food and drink sectors there. In addition the Eastern Caribbean is ideal for UK suppliers that wish to pursue aid-funded business opportunities as there are over £2.6billion in planned projects by IFI’s like the World Bank, European Investment Bank, Green Climate Fund and others focused on a variety of projects including the Inetr-American Bank(IDB)Barbados Public Sector Modernisation project, World Bank St. Lucia Human Resilence project and more. For more information please get in touch.
Dr. Peter Ramsaroop CEO/Chief Investment Officer, Guyana Office for Investment
Mr. Ramsaroop is a seasoned senior executive with significant experience across many fields of expertise from business to economics and politics. He was appointed by His Excellency, Dr. Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on 2nd October, 2020 as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Guyana Office for Investment. In this role Dr. Ramsaroop will lead efforts in both Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and Local Content Investments (LCI) and serves as Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer under the Office of the President of Guyana.
Sharifa Powell Country Director, DIT
Based in Kingston, Jamaica, Sharifa is responsible for providing support and advice on how to set up businesses and conduct trading activities with Jamaica and helping local firms who want to invest and expand to the UK. In addition, Sharifa is also responsible for the Food and Drink sector across the English speaking Caribbean
Registration is now closed but if you have any questions ahead of the event please do not hesitate to contact the event delivery team on DITEvents@brayleinoevents.com
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