Dr Eric Deans, maritime and logistics specialist, has retired from his position as CEO of the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA).

The JSEZA is the agency of the Government of Jamaica responsible for facilitating the development of and promoting investments in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Jamaica. It was established in 2016 under the Special Economic Zones Act.

Deans was the first head of the agency. On Friday, November 19, he said he had resigned from JSEZA and disclosed that he was contemplating several new offers, but would decide in the new year.

He commented, “I am considering several offers at this time. I will be involved in a combination of activities. You will hear more in the new year.”

The logistician has over 30 years’ of professional experience in port, shipping, and logistics in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.

As CEO for JSEZA and chairman of the Logistics Hub Initiative Task Force, he ushered in the new regime which grants tax benefits to companies which offer new investments and employment in Jamaica.

Previously, Dr Deans was director of shipping and policy research at the Maritime Authority of Jamaica. He is also an adjunct lecturer in logistics and supply chain sustainability at the Caribbean Maritime Institute.

He holds a PhD in Marine Policy from the University of Delaware, a MSc in Maritime Studies from the University of Wales, and a BSc in Chemistry from The University of the West Indies.

Currently there are 131 entities operating in Jamaica’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs), with a total investment of more than US$1 billion.

The authority indicates that since the SEZ Act was passed in 2016, it has successfully transitioned more than 106 entities from free zones to SEZs, and has added a number of new companies.