Trinidad and Tobago Chamber: Salute to visionaries, vanguards

One hundred and forty-five years ago, a vision transformed a nation’s development by giving voice to those who invested in the future of TT as owners of some of its first indigenous entities.

The TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce (TT Chamber) now honours the nation’s visionaries and vanguards with its annual event, Champions of Business.

A visionary is a person with original ideas about what the future will or could be like and who plans for the future with imagination or wisdom. A vanguard is a group of people at the forefront, leading the way in new developments or ideas.

What began in 2005 as a humble and simple ceremony in a boardroom with a leadership award as an induction into the Business Hall of Fame has now become a signature event on the local business calendar.

This initiative celebrates the resilience, innovation and determination of the business community, while also reinforcing the importance of supporting local enterprises for the continued growth and prosperity of the nation.

We honour these entities and individuals who exude excellence and are a guiding light for others.

The objectives of the Champions of Business series include:

– Inspiration: To inspire aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners by showcasing real-life success stories. What better way to salute our own than via this show of patriotism?

– Education: To provide valuable insights and lessons learned from successful businesses, offering practical knowledge that viewers and other businesses can apply to their own ventures.

– Promotion of local businesses: To promote and celebrate the achievements of local businesses, fostering pride and support within the community and country.

– Highlighting strategy and sustainability: To highlight the importance of strategic planning and sustainability in business operations, emphasising their role in long-term success and resilience, showing that expansion and moving from local to global is possible.

– Building resilience: To demonstrate how the resilience of local businesses contributes to the overall resilience of the country's economy, particularly in the face of challenges and uncertainties.

The TT Chamber is also in the pre-production phase of the television series Champions of Business True Stories, which began during the pandemic as a way to ensure the inspiration and lessons from local businesses provided positivity and upliftment to the nation during economically challenging times.

The series delves into the intricacies of these businesses' strategies, showcasing their innovative approaches, sustainability initiatives and their overall contributions to the economic landscape of the country. It also highlights the significant role businesses play in the region and how to enter the international markets that support our brand, TT.

Through this series, viewers gain insight into the journey of these businesses, from their inception to their current standing as leaders in their respective industries.

Each episode features interviews with leaders and entrepreneurs, key stakeholders, behind-the-scenes footage and a review of the strategies employed by these businesses to achieve success.

"A balance of edutainment, infotainment and entertainment. We trace their journey."

In collaboration with key sponsors, TT Chamber is proud to present awards in seven categories that represent the breadth and depth of TT's business spectrum.

The National Gas Company Ltd (NGC), the platinum sponsor, has backed two awards – the longstanding Business Hall of Fame and the more recent Green Agenda awards.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has sponsored the Internationally Known…T&T Owned Company of the Year award for a second year.

The other awards are:

– Breakthrough Exporter of the Year, sponsored by Eximbank TT;

– Innovation, sponsored by longtime partner Bmobile;

– Entrepreneurship, sponsored by Republic Bank;

– SME awards, for which a sponsor is to be confirmed.

"Each category is hinged on both business acumen and corporate responsibility," TT Chamber president Kiran Maharaj said at the launch on May 1.

These awards, she added, align with the TT Chamber's ethos and vision, while the sponsors mesh seamlessly with the categories they have chosen to support.

The awards celebrate visionaries and vanguards – two distinct groups.

"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our signature sponsors for their unwavering support and dedication to our mission of connecting businesses and people across industries. It is through their partnership that we are able to honour the visionaries and vanguards who shape our nation's future," she said.

The Champions of Business awards is now accepting nominations. Both members and non-members are eligible.