分类： business

From her roots in Barataria to commanding the global public relations stage, Carla Williams Johnson has crafted an extraordinary journey that redefines Caribbean excellence in brand communications. The 44-year-old founder and CEO of Carli Communications has transformed childhood lessons in resilience and performance into a groundbreaking PR methodology that’s earning international recognition.

Williams Johnson’s foundation was built in a middle-class household where education and self-reliance were paramount. Her mother, a nurse, and father, a quality assurance officer turned entrepreneur, instilled values that would later shape her business philosophy. “I grew up in the era of female independence,” she recalls, “when parents taught their girls not to have to depend on anyone.”

Her early artistic pursuits with the Barataria Folk Performers—including representing Trinidad and Tobago at Carifesta V at just nine years old—and later calypso performances during her secondary school years, forged her understanding of audience connection. This performance background, combined with formal education in marketing, advertising, and business administration, created the perfect foundation for her future career.

The sudden loss of her father in 2010 during her final year of studies became a pivotal moment that tested her resilience and ultimately reshaped her sense of purpose. It was his entrepreneurial spirit—evident in his establishment of DOffice Restaurant, Bar & Lounge—and his affectionate nickname “Carli” that would later become central to her brand identity.

Williams Johnson’s professional breakthrough came while working with major soft drink brands, where she discovered the transformative power of strategic PR over traditional advertising. Facing a failing promotion despite significant paid advertising investment, she negotiated complimentary radio discussions and entertainment news coverage that skyrocketed sales. This epiphany revealed that “PR makes things more ‘real’… more truthful” and provides the trust factor that even major brands require.

After leaving a toxic work environment in 2014, Williams Johnson identified a critical gap in the market: Caribbean brands struggling to gain international visibility while maintaining their authentic identity. She launched Carli Communications to provide “intentional visibility”—helping Caribbean brands position themselves with clarity, credibility, and confidence without compromising their cultural roots.

Her innovative approach has earned features in HuffPost (2018), Forbes (2019, 2021), and Entrepreneur (2021), placing her among global leaders like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg. Forbes specifically sought her expertise regarding the Will Smith incident at the 2021 Academy Awards, confirming her relevance in global conversations.

The core of Williams Johnson’s philosophy revolves around “intentional visibility”—a strategic approach to being seen in the right places for the right reasons. She emphasizes that visibility without strategy often leads entrepreneurs, particularly women, to chase trends rather than build consistent credibility. “Intentional visibility is about alignment,” she explains. “It’s knowing your message, audience and long-term goals before you step into the spotlight.”

As a mother of two children born 18 years apart, Williams Johnson has learned that balance is about “constant recalibration” rather than perfection. She extends this philosophy to her clients, encouraging women entrepreneurs to grow at their own pace and redefine success without guilt or apology.

Her numerous accolades, including Public Relations Agency of the Year (2023-2025) and Most Empowering PR CEO (Caribbean) 2024, validate her innovative approach. For Williams Johnson, these awards confirm that her strategy of combining global standards with local understanding effectively positions Caribbean brands on the world stage while preserving their authentic identity.

Jamaican financial services conglomerate JMMB Group Ltd has implemented a significant board reorganization across its corporate structure, effective December 31, 2025. The restructuring impacts both the parent company and its subsidiary, JMMB Financial Holdings Ltd, following regulatory approval from the Bank of Jamaica.

Five directors have stepped down from JMMB Group Ltd’s board: Andrew Cocking, High Wayne Powell, V Andrew Whyte, Dr. M Anne Crick, and Reece Kong. Simultaneously, JMMB Financial Holdings Ltd witnessed the departure of two board members: Audrey Deer Williams and Audrey Welds.

The transformation comes after the Bank of Jamaica granted formal authorization under Section A (1) (a) of the Banking Services Act 2014, permitting JMMB Financial Holdings Ltd to operate as an official financial holding company. This regulatory milestone prompted the comprehensive governance review.

Corporate governance principles served as the driving force behind the board restructuring. JMMB Group emphasized that the changes aim to establish clearer independence between the two boards, enhancing oversight mechanisms and strengthening accountability frameworks throughout the organization.

The Group publicly acknowledged the contributions of departing directors, recognizing their service during a period of significant regulatory advancement. This restructuring represents a strategic alignment of corporate governance with the company’s newly approved financial holding company status, potentially signaling a new chapter in JMMB’s operational framework.

In a sharply worded statement issued January 2, Trinidad and Tobago’s National Gas Company (NGC) has accused Canadian fertilizer giant Nutrien of holding the nation “to ransom” by deliberately shutting down operations despite government efforts to maintain its presence. The NGC asserts that Nutrien’s closure decision stemmed exclusively from profit-maximization motives rather than legitimate operational constraints.

The controversy emerged following criticism from former Energy Minister Stuart Young, who blamed the current administration for the plant shutdown that will eliminate hundreds of jobs. The NGC responded by detailing how Nutrien had rejected multiple compromise proposals while attempting to secure favorable long-term gas contracts and maintain legacy port rates.

According to the state company, the dispute originated from Nutrien’s resistance to updated pier user charges at Savonetta and concerns about natural gas supply reliability. The Canadian company, which produced approximately 85,000 tonnes of ammonia and 55,000 tonnes of urea monthly from its Trinidad facility, ceased operations in October after negotiations stalled.

The NGC revealed that during five separate negotiation sessions, Nutrien representatives threatened to launch a public relations campaign portraying the company as a victim of government pressure. In one particularly contentious incident, National Energy officials were served with an injunction application while en route to what was supposed to be a good-faith negotiation meeting.

Countering Young’s allegations, the NGC statement highlighted that the previous administration had allowed pier user contracts to expire without renewal since 2018, resulting in over $500 million in lost revenue. The former administration also waived $14.35 million in “take or pay” liabilities owed by Nutrien in August 2024 and permitted downstream companies to manipulate payment terms, creating a de facto $160 million overdraft facility.

The gas company emphasized that most petrochemical producers in Point Lisas Estate do not repatriate US dollar revenues to Trinidad, instead maintaining foreign accounts in financial hubs including New York, London, Zurich, and Brussels. Despite Nutrien’s departure, NGC has successfully reallocated the gas supply to other downstream customers and fulfilled its Atlantic LNG commitments, generating significant financial benefits for the nation.