NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (January 29, 2020) — Ms. Jadine Yarde, the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA), says she is grateful to be on Nevis and is excited for the work she plans to undertake at the authority. Her tenure to chart the way forward for Nevis’ tourism industry commences on February 01, 2020.
Premier of Nevis Hon. Mark Brantley, who is also the Minister of Tourism in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), welcomed Ms. Yarde to the island, during a meeting at his office at Pinney’s Estate on January 28, 2020.
“Jadine is joining us in Nevis, and has been selected by the NTA Board after a process of interviews as the next Chief Executive Officer of the NTA.
“We are delighted to have her… and we look forward certainly, to working with you and doing some great things in tourism in Nevis. So welcome to Nevis. I thought it was appropriate to welcome you,” he said.
Later that day during his monthly press conference at the NIA’s Cabinet Room, the Tourism Minister gave some background information about the new NTA official.
“She’s been a consultant in both Barbados and Grenada. She has worked with the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. and has been involved in the development of limitless concierge service which is a Barbadian/Grenadian-based concierge service,” he said
“She has over 10 years experience in Tourism, Marketing and Entertainment. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, and we feel that she brings to the table a creative vision for the future of Nevis’ tourism industry, an analytic tourism outlook, a strong digital marketing mindset, and a clear understanding of how important a business digital footprint is,” he said.
Ms. Yarde will replace Mr. Greg Phillip who resigned from the CEO position in 2019 having served the NTA from 2013.
The minister added that he was advised that Ms. Yarde is American-born, and has Barbadian and Grenadian citizenship. She has lived in the United States in Boston and New York for most of her life before moving to Barbados where she worked in tourism, marketing and entertainment.
Mr. Brantley explained that the new CEO was selected by the NTA Board, from a field of 40 applicants for the position. The candidates spanned the Caribbean, from Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Antigua, the Virgin Islands, St. Lucia and Guyana, and internationally, from the United States of America, Canada, Europe and Dubai.
The applicants were required to go through a process, and were shortlisted based on their knowledge of the destination, their background in tourism, their industry experience and their qualifications. Of the 12 persons shortlisted, four finalists were selected.
The Board conducted extensive interviews with the finalists, which focused on their vision to grow the destination, relevant and creative tradition and digital marketing strategies, proposals for engaging and motivating domestic and international stakeholders, human resources competencies and the ability to manage limited resources.
Meantime, Mr. Brantley noted that the NIA is looking forward to good results from the NTA.
“We have, I believe a strong board, a strong NTA, new blood, a new energy, a new CEO and we are looking forward to good results coming from the interaction and the injection of new blood and new ideas…
“We have an all local board. We have now a Caribbean national who has taken over as CEO, and we are hoping that we get the results that we are looking for, bearing in mind that tourism is so critical to the economic survival of the island of Nevis,” he said.
The new NTA Board comprises of Mrs. Pamela Martin, Resort Manager at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club who serves as chairperson; Mr. John Hanley, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism; Mr. Richard Lupinacchi Jr., Manager of The Hermitage; Mr. Andrei Mocanu, General Manager of Golden Rock Inn; Mr. Oral Brandy, Manager of the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority (NASPA); and Ms. Omel Wilkin, Manager of Omel Ground Handling at the Vance W. Amory International Airport.