HISTORY MADE | Saint Lucian Elected Youngest-Ever Co-chair of the CDB Future Leaders Network

Saint Lucian Naeem Philbert has been elected Co-Chair of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Future Leaders Network (FLN), making history as the youngest member of the Cohort and the youngest person to serve as Co-Chair of the Network.

Philbert, who also serves as the Saint Lucia Representative on the FLN, is the first Saint Lucian and first national of an OECS member state to serve as Co-Chair.

As Co-Chair, Philbert will help guide the strategic direction and collective work of the FLN, facilitate engagement among members, and serve as a bridge between Caribbean youth and the CDB.

Philbert brings extensive experience in youth leadership, regional advocacy, policy engagement, and institutional service. He currently serves as Deputy CARICOM Youth Ambassador for Saint Lucia and has previously served as a Youth Parliamentarian and President of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College Students’ Council. His regional experience also includes youth policy forums and consultations with decision-makers.

Reflecting on his election, Philbert expressed that he does “not see the role of Co-Chair as a position of authority, but as a responsibility to serve, to listen, and to ensure that our collective expertise is translated into meaningful action.”

Philbert’s campaign centred on the principle that representation must produce results, arguing that “young people have never lacked ideas, passion, or solutions. What we must continue working towards is ensuring that our perspectives can influence what happens next. I believe the Future Leaders Network can be a powerful bridge between the expertise of Caribbean youth and the institutions shaping our region’s future.”

As Co-Chair, Philbert has identified transparency, inclusion, and impact as core principles for his tenure. He intends to ensure that the diversity of the Network’s 19 participating countries is reflected in its work and that its success is measured by tangible outcomes rather than simply the activities undertaken.

As Philbert begins his tenure he has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that Caribbean youth are not merely participants in conversations about the region’s future, but active contributors to shaping that future. To him, “the future of Caribbean youth leadership is not something we inherit. It is something we build together.”