Prime Minister Andrew Holness has appointed Lloyd Carney as one of four new ambassadors/special investment envoys who, he says, will play a pivotal role in attracting investment to Jamaica and drive economic growth.
“This strategic move underlines the Government’s commitment to catalysing innovation, investment and economic growth to create sustainable opportunities for the people of Jamaica,” the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said in a news release on Thursday.
“These individuals have extensive experience and expertise in various sectors and will bring a wealth of knowledge and a network of international contacts to their new roles. Their primary objective is to identify potential investment opportunities and attract investment by promoting Jamaica as an attractive destination for both local and international investors,” OPM said.
Expressing confidence in the capabilities of the newly appointed envoys, Holness said, “Jamaica is fortunate to have such highly capable individuals who are internationally renowned in their fields and possess a deep understanding of the investment landscape, both locally and internationally. Their collective expertise and networks will be invaluable in catalysing innovation, driving investment and stimulating our economy.”
He emphasised the Government’s unwavering commitment to creating an enabling environment for investment and working hand-in-hand with the private sector to drive innovation and unlock the country’s full economic potential.
He also noted that two of the envoys are technology-focused and, as such, will help to accelerate Jamaica’s transition to a digital society that is well-positioned to take advantage of global opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Carney founded the USA-based Carney Technology Acquisition Corp II (CTAC II), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) which successfully raised US$400 million to focus on technology acquisitions. CTAC II had raised US$200 million and resulted in the acquisition of Grid Dynamics, a Nasdaq listed company, which was in the top one per cent of performing SPAC stocks. Grid Dynamics has recently established an engineering centre in Kingston.
Previously, he was CEO of Brocade Communications, a data centre and networking solutions firm, and a member of the Brocade board of directors. Before joining Brocade, Carney was CEO and member of the board of directors at Xsigo Systems, a technology leader in the data centre virtualisation market with solutions for cloud computing and software-defined networking.
In August 2022, Carney was appointed chancellor of the University of Technology, Jamaica