The wider community of the University of the West Indies (UWI) is mourning the loss of Sir Aziz Hadeed, KCMG, CBE — a prominent Antigua and Barbuda-based businessman, public servant, and lifelong education advocate — with top regional leaders and university colleagues sharing tributes to his decades of service and transformative impact.
In separate official statements released by UWI Five Islands Campus and the central Office of the UWI Vice-Chancellor, leaders outlined the profound legacy Sir Aziz leaves behind, particularly through his unwavering commitment to expanding educational access across the Caribbean region and driving national and regional development.
A well-respected figure across public and private spheres, Sir Aziz held multiple senior public roles throughout his career: he served as a former Independent Senator, a former Cabinet Minister, and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps for Antigua and Barbuda. When UWI Five Islands Campus was formally established in August 2019, Sir Aziz was selected as the campus’ very first Council Chairman. He won reappointment for a second term in 2024 and held the leadership position up until his passing.
Throughout his tenure, Sir Aziz steered the young campus through some of its most critical formative moments. His leadership guided the institution through its 2019 official launch, the unprecedented operational disruptions brought on by the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the negotiation of a landmark $80 million development partnership with the Saudi Fund for Development, secured in 2023.
Under his strategic governance, the campus achieved explosive growth: student enrollment has surged from just 173 students in its inaugural academic year to more than 1,400 enrolled students today. Sir Aziz remained actively engaged in campus leadership up to his final days, chairing the March 2026 Council meeting themed “Building Beyond Borders.”
UWI Vice-Chancellor Hilary Beckles highlighted that even in the relatively short time Sir Aziz led the campus council, he emerged as one of the university system’s most passionate and effective advocates across the Caribbean. “Within the short time span of graduation cycles, Sir Aziz Hadeed secured a reputation as a solid and passionate champion of The UWI’s mandate in Antigua and Barbuda, and beyond,” Beckles said in his statement.
Beckles added that Sir Aziz moved quickly to lay strong, sustainable operational foundations for the Five Islands Campus Council, bringing clear strategic direction to all governance decisions and actions for the growing institution. Beyond his professional contributions, Beckles emphasized that university leadership held deep personal respect for Sir Aziz’s values and character.
“Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, Professor C. Justin Robinson, and I came to respect and celebrate him as a lover of education who relished in the academic development of the youth. We admired his commitment to social justice and his passion for philanthropy. His impact on the University culture was considerable. We all benefited from his wisdom and friendship. We shall miss his mind and his calming manner,” Beckles noted.
On behalf of the entire UWI system, Beckles extended sincere condolences to Sir Aziz’s family, friends, and colleagues, noting that the Caribbean region will continue to honor his transformative contributions and enduring legacy. “Together we shall celebrate the outstanding contributions of his life. May his soul rest in peace,” he said.