Ian De Souza, new CEO at Chamber of Industry and Commerce

THE Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce has appointed Ian De Souza as its new CEO.

His appointment takes effect on Monday, and he will replace Gabriel Faria whose term came to an end on January 31, the chamber said in a statement.

It said De Souza brought 35 years’ experience to the chamber which was expected to bolster efforts to drive private sector growth and improve TT’s business competitiveness.

His past portfolios included former principal adviser at Advice Financial Co Ltd, an independent financial consultancy service, several senior positions with the Republic Bank Group in risk management, corporate and investment banking, and finance and merchant banking services across the region.

The chamber said De Souza also specialises in corporate finance, debt management and corporate turnarounds, mergers and acquisitions and was the project lead in Republic Bank’s acquisition of Scotiabank’s operations in Anguilla, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Maarten, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and the British Virgin Islands.

De Souza also served as executive director and CEO of the Cave Hill School of Business and Management of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and professor of practice, banking and finance, in the department of management studies.

The chamber added that he is alumnus of the Harvard Business School advanced management programme, a certified insolvency and restructuring adviser and certified in forensic accounting and fraud examination.

He holds a bachelor of science degree in economics, a post-graduate diploma in management, an executive master’s degree in business administration from UWI, St Augustine and also a chartered professional accountant.

De Souza’s affiliations included the American Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors Association and an Associate Member of the American Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.