‘Butch’ Stewart is new JTI (Jampro) chairman

BY PATRICK FOSTER Observer writer fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com

Thursday, March 18, 2010

HOTEL mogul Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, chairman of the ATL Group and Sandals International Resorts, is the new chairman of Jamaica Trade and Invest, formerly Jampro, the one-stop shop for investment and promotion.

Minister of Industry and Commerce Karl Samuda, who made the announcement yesterday at a press conference at the ministry's New Kingston offices, also announced that Stewart will have as his deputy, Phillip Gore, the chief executive officer of well-known housing development company, Gore Developments.

Both appointments took effect on March 15, 2010 and they will serve for two years in the first instance.

"This organisation has an excellent Board and I am honoured to have been asked to serve as chairman. We will do all that is possible to attract quality investment to Jamaica," said Stewart, who is also chairman of the Observer.

Samuda said that other changes to the Board had been recently approved by Cabinet, and new appointees would be announced at a later date.

The commerce minister told journalists that JTI would now see a shift in focus and would no longer be handling small and micro enterprise issues but would rather be emphasising on the export potential of Brand Jamaica".

"We are not just branding a product, we are branding the country," Samuda said, explaining that the new mandate of Jampro would see it being engaged in export and investment promotion.

"We seek constantly to sell Jamaica as a safe investment destination so we are looking to expand foreign direct investment through the services of Jampro," the minister said.

He added that the traditional emphasis that had been placed on small business activities going through Jampro would no longer be the case. "The Jamaica Business Development Corporation has been charged with the responsibility of managing micro, small and medium-sized businesses," he said.

He noted that the process of rebranding of the business promotion agency was well advanced and would soon be unveiled.

Chairman Stewart has been involved in the tourism industry from 1982 when he opened Sandals MoBay. His involvement in tourism has grown to 22 resorts in six countries under the Sandals Resorts banner.

Prior to his entrance into the resort business, Stewart formed Appliance Traders Limited (ATL) which over subsequent years expanded into the ATL Group to include the sales and service of automobiles, industrial equipment as well as appliances.

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