Invest Saint Lucia (ISL) announces the appointment of Mr. Octavian Charles as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Charles officially took up duty on November 7, bringing to the role a wealth of senior leadership experience, as well as insight into the operations of two critical sectorsāagriculture and banking.
A graduate of the University of Reading, he holds multiple qualifications in the field of Agriculture, including an MSc. in Agricultural Extension Systems and Management. With over thirty years of experience in the banking sector, Charles has also served at the helm of several development focused organisations. These include his current appointments as Chairman of BELFUND and Director of St. Lucia Marketing Board, as well as his previous stint as Director of the National Research and Development Foundation.
He has also been a member of the National Agricultural Advisory Committee and the Cabinet Appointed Banana Task Force. Charles served as Branch Manager of Bank of Saint Luciaās Bridge Street, Gros Islet and Waterfront branches, where he identified and recommended customer and revenue growth opportunities aligned with the companyās strategy. In his previous roles at the bank, he was charged with supervising and evaluating projects financed by the institution. Additional responsibilities included monitoring local, regional, and international economic and social environments for trends and events relevant to Saint Luciaās economic progress. His extensive background in these key areas is expected to assist him in leading and monitoring ISLās strategy development and execution process as well as overseeing corporate initiatives to increase sustainable investments in targeted sectors. As CEO, he will also oversee all the agencyās operations to ensure adherence to good corporate governance practices, compliance with legal requirements, revenue generation and cost containment.