ERNST & Young (EY) Caribbean is bringing the Strategic Growth Forum Caribbean to Jamaica this Wednesday. This exclusive, invitation-only retreat will gather a distinguished group of C-suite executives, market leaders, and EY advisors from around the world to share insights, thought leadership, and networking opportunities.

Scheduled for May 1-4, 2024 at Hyatt Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the forum promises to inspire, inform, and connect visionaries shaping the future of business and society.

“We have all these CEOs in one place; let’s talk about how we look at our region, let’s collaborate,” Maria Daniel, partner, strategy and transactions at Ernst & Young Services Limited, told the Jamaica Observer in an interview.

Over the course of four days attendees will engage in thought-provoking keynotes, panels, workshops, and high-value networking opportunities — all designed to fuel economic growth and drive innovation. The forum’s comprehensive agenda features topics such as Future in Fast Forward; Real Life Transformation Stories; Cybersecurity in an Increasingly Digital World; and Demystifying Artificial Intelligence — Strategies, Opportunities, and Pitfalls.

“Friday is almost totally on people. How do you get leadership to come together? How do you get your staff to start thinking innovatively?” Daniel told the Sunday Finance.

Before delving into the host of events planned, Daniel highlighted speakers to be on the lookout for ahead of the forum on Thursday, May 2 that will feature a keynote address followed by a series of workshops focused on the future of business. These interactive sessions will delve into cutting-edge topics, enabling participants to gain new insights and know-how to lead their companies into the future. With AI advancing rapidly, and geopolitical issues causing uncertainty about the direction of the world, speaker Pascal Finette — co-founder of Be Radical and author — is a futurist who examines where trends are heading and what to expect in the future.

“He will lead a workshop where he will help CEOs map out the consequences of different scenarios. He will help you prepare your business for uncertainty, understand where the world is going, and change the direction of your business to deal with that,” she unveiled.

Global leaders in AI will also be present, revealing how to use AI to make businesses effective, not just from a revenue perspective but also from an operational efficiency perspective. A workshop on how to use AI effectively will also be available.

“It’s really about prompt engineering,” she said. “We’re going to have a whole workshop on how to maximise the use and the best-use cases for AI.”

Daniel also highlighted Heidi Grant, EY Americas Director of Research and Development in Learning who is a best-selling author and works at EY’s Neuro Diversity Center. She will discuss change management, focusing on the neuroscience of the brain and what affects people’s ability to embrace change.

There will also be segments on cybersecurity and digital transformation; teaching how to combat advanced criminals and protect company data assets; generational business; preparing the next generation in family businesses to maintain and run the business; and attracting new business.

Although the forum is primarily geared towards CEO-level and leadership talent, Daniel assured that entrepreneurs will also be catered to. The EY Entrepreneurship Academy will kick off on Wednesday, May 1, specifically designed for start-up entrepreneurs and SMEs. This tailored programme will provide valuable insights into scaling businesses, valuing efforts, creating lasting legacies, and securing financing. Three inspirational entrepreneurs will share their remarkable stories of growth and sacrifice, offering unique perspectives on building multimillion-dollar businesses. The workshop will be hosted from 1:30 to 5:30 for SMEs at a cost of US$100.

“That is to really teach them how to value your business, how to track investors, how to raise capital, and how to get a growth mindset to scale up your business,” Daniel assured.

A panel of World Entrepreneurs of the Year will reveal how to become a global leader in agro-processing.

Participants from Jamaica include 2003 EY Entrepreneur of the Year winner Audrey Stewart-Hinchcliffe, founder, chair and CEO of Manpower and Maintenance Services Limited Group; PB Scott, CEO and chairman of Musson Group; and Byron Dixon from the UK, also an Entrepreneur of the Year winner, with Jamaican roots, who will share their journey into business and overcoming challenges so as to inspire SMEs.

Dr Terri Karelle Reid will also moderate the forum on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Additionally, Latin American investment bankers will be present to discuss expanding outside the region and bringing deal opportunities to the forum.

While the Strategic Growth Forum promises to be an intense and inspiring experience, it’s not all work and no play. The event will conclude on Saturday, May 4 with a golf tournament in the morning at White Witch Golf Course in Montego Bay where teams will be randomly selected to play together, providing a unique opportunity for participants to connect with new faces.

Later that evening the forum will culminate with the prestigious EY Entrepreneur of the Year Jamaica Awards Gala and After-Party. This highly anticipated event will celebrate innovative Jamaican entrepreneurs whose vision, ingenuity, and courage drive the Jamaican economy. Winners of the Entrepreneur of the Year award will be announced in four categories: Partner of Strategy and Transaction, Start-up Entrepreneur, Emerging Entrepreneur, Family Business Entrepreneur, and Master Entrepreneur. The master category winner will represent the Caribbean at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year award ceremony in Monaco. The gala will be open to the public for a fee of US$175 that includes drinks, dinner, entertainment, and an after-party.

The Strategic Growth Forum — typically held in Palm Springs, USA, for over 16 years — is being hosted in Jamaica for the first time. According to the event organisers, the new location was chosen to be in closer proximity to CEOs in the Caribbean and to make the event more accessible and affordable for a wider audience.

“Jamaica has all the ingredients for entrepreneurship to thrive, which is why we chose Jamaica over other Caribbean islands,” said Daniel.