As an expert program and product development strategist, I bring a profound understanding of the resource mobilization and funding development needs of MSMEs in the Creative Industries. With over 14 years of experience in strategy implementation, I have successfully delivered innovative solutions in building synergies, marketing and brand management, creating distribution channels, and architecting product pipelines toward revenue generation. My work with over 2000 MSMEs showcases my ability to leverage persuasive enterprise design and project management methodologies, ensuring their successful entry into new markets and contributing to significant acquisition opportunities. Using my specialized training in Innovation and Ideas Development, I support companies in designing and implementing more efficient growth strategies, revolutionizing market approaches, and attracting critical financing and investment.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Business Development Officer (Manager Business Development Department)
Government of Barbados - Cultural Industries Development Authority & The National Cultural Foundation
04.2015 - Current
I lead and manage a team of Business Support Specialists in the implementation of developmental programmes and provide services to over 2000 Creative Industries SMEs, ranging from business planning, value chain management, product distribution and financing that contributed to increases in their market share and revenue
Implementing these services resulted in increases of 78% of Creatives formalising the way they manage their MSMEs
By accessing funding and business development programming offered by my team, Barbados' Creative Industries, is conservatively estimated to generate around $110-113million BDS annually between 2017-2022
In support of the sustainable growth and outreach development plans for the CI's, I have direct responsibility for developing and monitoring the Fiscal, legislative frameworks for creatives, MSMEs, civil society stakeholders in the industry
This has resulted in the changes to laws that provide tax and duty concession on tools of trades, training, marketing and dividends for MSMEs, contributing to an annual average increase rate of 48-53% of new businesses being developed
This, is further strengthened by the Fiscal incentives for investors that support Creative Industries SMEs, with the growth rate average of new investors at 23-27% annually during the period
As a direct result of monitoring and evaluating the CI's and supporting their commercial growth locally and internationally, I have designed Resource Mobilisation programmes, such as Investment Clinics, Funding and Investment Programmes, Incubators, Accelerators and Market Showcases
These are impacting on 1000 plus creatives and MSME's with over $15 million in funding and investment, which I have negotiated from Local, Regional and International lending agencies such as the Caribbean Export Development Agency, the Caribbean Development Bank via the European Union's EDF, toward the growth of Cultural Industries in Barbados
Owner and Creative Industries Commercial Product Developer
Motions Creative Product Development Consultancy
01.2013 - Current
I use my consulting services to assist NGOs, and other indirect creative industries entities, providing pipeline to market services strategies across several CI sectors in Culinary, contributing to them being move competitive
I have developed Courses & Tutoring on Innovation for Commercial Creative in the BA Arts Management programme, at the Barbados Community College
Through this service, I have been able to teach some 100-plus graduates who have gone on to become creative industries managers with the tools necessary to create innovative commercial products and services to effect changes in various sectors
Additionally, I have been Guess Lecturer Post-graduate Diploma Arts & Cultural Enterprise Management - 2020-2021 University of the West Indies, St
Augustine Trinidad - 2020-2021, lecturing to more than 200 students on the use of Creative Industries Cluster to impact the economies of developing and marginalised communities
Further, via my consultancy services, I previously worked with Youth based SMEs in innovating specific areas of their business models to increase their revenues
Of the 14 direct clients and 100 SMEs in that programme, 83% continue to have profitable margins with their businesses, and 60% have been able to access funding via various PITCH to investor sessions, to grow their businesses as a result of my interventions
Via my consultancy, I have been able to develop partnerships and have my work presented to global agencies such as Inexmoda and Pro-Colombia, Virada Cultural in Brazil, and Goldsmiths University of London ICCE Alum
Finally, via my consultancy, I have presented the following papers and research:
Using Creative Industries and their Communities - Creativity+Cluster+Community=Economies, Fact or Fiction
Lecture to University of the West Indies, St
Augustine 2020 & 2021
Commercial Creative thinking towards Innovation" at the Bank on Me Innovation training programme in May 2016 and at the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) programme in June 2016
The Cultural Industries Development Act as a Tool In Cultural Eco-Systems in Barbados" at the 2015 NCF BOYA
Government of Barbados - The National Cultural Foundation
04.2008 - 08.2015
I conceptualised & managed the Marketing and Communications campaigns across all media for various cultural products, including national festivals, such as the four-month long Crop Over Summer Carnival
These campaigns resulted that Festival's contribution to the GDP moving from around $73 million Bds
In 2009 to $127 million Bds
In 2015 and employing over 2000 plus artisans, artists and artiste, designers, and scores of services in the GIG economy
These strategies also resulted in increasing the number of local and international consumers of our Crop Over Festival from an annual average of 35,000 persons in the early 2000's to a new, annual average of 87,000 patrons participating physically, and a further 4 million accessing the Festival virtually and via television viewership
These new strategic and exciting campaigns where able to attract international stars such as Will Smith, Rihanna, Malik Yoba, Columbus Short, the entire Miami Heat team and the Cast of Love and Hip Hop to have an interest in the Festival, adding to its new global appeal
In this role, I managed both internal and external teams of sponsorship representatives, copy writers, corporate communications specialists, graphic designers and digital content media personnel, along with external service providers in out of home media, design and broadcast services for the agency
This collectively contributed to the execution of effective campaigned that led to large attendance numbers, global participation, value for money for sponsors and overall revenue generation of the agency
As Marketing Officer, I developed long standing relationships with sponsors that resulted in an average revenue from sponsorship of $3.6million toward festivals and events produced by the agency
I established a number of operational and management systems for the department that contributed to a better mapping of spend with service suppliers; a more effective capturing of impact data which enabled sponsors to have a better sense of the returns on their investment; and more efficiency in the distribution of advertising
As a member of the Senior Management team, I worked directly with the Chief Executive Officer in managing the profile of the organisation, developing strategies to grow revenue and building relationships with partners
British Airways Professional Development: Certificate: Sales force Development & Branding -
01.2003
British Airways Professional Development: Certificate: Selling in a competitive Market -
01.2002
Skills
Innovation
Planning & Designing
Marketing & Brand Planning
Product Pipeline development
Project Management
Corporate Funding
Enterprise Design
Ideas Developer
Project Manager
Value Chain Planning
Team Builder
Mentoring
Innovation Thinker
Mapping
Ukaddress
67 Hurst Court Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 3JD, England
Awardsandgrants
Prime Ministers Certificate of Recognition for invaluable contribution to the successful hosting of UNCTAD 15, Barbados, 2021 - Awarded by: The Prime Minister of Barbados
National Development Scholar 2012 - Awarded by: Government of Barbados
Inter-American Development Bank Grant Recipient - 2007 Towards the development of the first Audio Visual Library at the National Cultural Foundation of Barbados - Awarded by: IADB Barbados
Ivan Award for Rescue service to Grenada Hurricane Rescue 2005 - Awarded by: British Airways
Membershipinorganizations
Barbados' Representative on the UNESCO - Cuba based Transcultura Programme's Expert Advisory Board 2021-Present
Government of Barbados' UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity Pre-Selection Committee Barbados - Committee Member 2020-Present
Co-Chair National Working Committee on the Development of Barbados' Film Industry 2022-Present
Barbados Community College - BA Arts & Entertainment Management Degree, Advisory Committee member. 2018-present
Member of the Goldsmiths University of London, Alumni of Entrepreneurs - 2013-Present
Member of the Barbados Cultural Industries Development
Barbadosaddress
57 Warleigh Ave, Bulkeley Meadows, St. George, Barbados
Hobbies and Interests
Classical Musician - Operatic Tenor
Writer (Fiction)
Film Producer (Documentaries & Shorts)
Training
Event SAFETY, RISK AND CROWD MANAGEMENT, April 2024, Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business
Regional Policy Dialogue On Cultural And Creative Industries, September 2021, IDB
Timeline
Senior Business Development Officer (Manager Business Development Department)
Government of Barbados - Cultural Industries Development Authority & The National Cultural Foundation
04.2015 - Current
Owner and Creative Industries Commercial Product Developer
British Airways Professional Development: Certificate: Sales force Development & Branding -
British Airways Professional Development: Certificate: Selling in a competitive Market -
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