Dominica’s leading private sector trade body, the Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce (DAIC), has installed a new executive leadership team following its 2026 Annual General Meeting, held Thursday, May 14 at the Prevo Cinemall Ballroom in the capital city of Roseau. The event brought together a broad cross-section of attendees, ranging from DAIC member business owners and key industry stakeholders to event sponsors and specially invited government and community guests.
The gathering opened with a public open forum centered on the timely theme “Beyond the Runway: Unlocking Private Sector Growth Through Dominica’s International Airport” — a discussion focused on how local businesses can capitalize on the transformational infrastructure project currently under construction.
Samuel Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of the International Airport Development Company, served as the keynote speaker for the forum, where he outlined the far-reaching economic benefits the completed airport is projected to deliver to Dominica once it opens by the end of 2027. Johnson highlighted that the new international gateway will unlock expanded growth opportunities across a wide swath of the national economy, including tourism, cargo shipping and logistics, domestic agro-processing, small and medium enterprise development, and widespread job creation. He emphasized that the window for private sector preparation is open now, urging local businesses to begin strategic positioning long before the airport welcomes its first commercial flight, rather than holding off until construction wraps up. Early preparation, he noted, will allow private companies to capture the full range of new market opportunities that will become available once the facility is operational.
Following the conclusion of the public forum, DAIC members moved into a closed, restricted session of the Annual General Meeting to conduct the formal election of a new Board of Directors and executive leadership team.
In his outgoing address to assembled members, departing DAIC President Brenton Hilaire reinforced the core message of the forum: the international airport is far more than a public sector infrastructure project. It represents a transformative economic opening for Dominica’s private sector, one that requires intentional investment, proactive planning, cross-sector partnerships, and advance preparation from local businesses to deliver maximum benefit. Hilaire also called for deeper, more constructive dialogue between the DAIC and the Government of Dominica, encouraging member businesses to engage actively in national development conversations centered on innovation, collaborative growth, and broad-based economic progress.
Newly elected DAIC President Olive Strachan took over the leadership role following the election, opening her tenure by thanking members for the confidence they placed in her to lead the organization. She also paid public tribute to Hilaire’s leadership, crediting him with steering the association through a prolonged period of unprecedented economic challenge.
Strachan told members that effective organizational leadership is not defined by a formal title, but rooted in centering the needs of members, building trust, maintaining consistent action, and delivering dedicated service. Under her leadership, she said, DAIC will continue prioritizing the strengthening of cross-sector partnerships, working to build a more robust and resilient private sector, and ensuring that the priorities and concerns of DAIC members are consistently represented to policymakers and other key stakeholders. She closed by pledging to lead the association with radical transparency, unwavering integrity, and a focus on tangible action, committing to work closely with the newly seated Board of Directors to boost member engagement and tackle the everyday operational challenges that face businesses across Dominica.