分类： business

Jamaica’s premier diagnostic imaging provider, Image Plus Consultants Limited operating as Apex Radiology, has commenced a meticulously planned leadership transition after three decades under its founding leadership. This strategic move aims to ensure operational continuity while propelling the publicly-traded healthcare enterprise into its next growth chapter.

Dr. Karlene McDonnough, the visionary founder and longstanding Chairperson, will step down from her executive leadership position effective February 28, 2026. Her remarkable tenure witnessed the company’s evolution from a private startup to a Jamaica Stock Exchange-listed healthcare powerhouse currently generating annual revenues surpassing $1 billion. While relinquishing her chairmanship, Dr. McDonnough will maintain her board presence as an executive director and continue providing specialized expertise as lead consultant radiologist for nuclear medicine services.

The corporate transition announcement expressed profound gratitude: “The entire IPCL family wishes to convey our heartfelt appreciation to Dr. McDonnough for her vision, unwavering support, and selfless leadership over the years. We extend our warmest wishes for God’s abundant blessings as she begins her well-earned semi-retirement.”

Assuming the chairman role effective March 1, 2026 will be Dr. Steven Lewis, currently serving as deputy chairman since November 2024. With over two decades of institutional knowledge dating back to his initial joining as consultant radiologist in 2003 and board membership since 2010, Dr. Lewis brings extensive operational and governance expertise to the leadership position.

This leadership evolution occurs amidst both operational challenges and strategic expansion initiatives. Recent quarterly results reveal resilient performance with Q3 FY2026 revenues reaching $277.2 million—the strongest quarterly achievement thus far in the financial year—despite operational disruptions from Hurricane Melissa that reduced patient volumes, particularly in regions outside Kingston.

Nine-month financials show revenues of $803.3 million, reflecting a 3.9% year-over-year decrease, while pre-tax profits declined to $33.1 million from $41.6 million in the comparable prior period. Management attributed these contractions to reduced scan volumes and hurricane-related impacts, though strategic cost containment measures helped maintain stable gross margins and modestly reduced administrative expenses.

Concurrently, the company has advanced its expansion strategy through the $69.8 million acquisition of The Woman’s Place diagnostic imaging operations. This transaction, comprising 75% cash payment with remainder deferred until October 2026, establishes Apex Radiology’s specialized mammography services platform. The acquired unit already contributed over 8% of total scan volume within its first operational month, with intangible assets valued at $49.4 million recognized through this acquisition.

Future growth remains prioritized, with management indicating advanced negotiations for a second acquisition anticipated to be finalized in Q4 FY2026. Concurrently, the ongoing construction of the 33 LMR facility promises enhanced operational capacity and improved patient throughput upon completion in 2026.

Christopher Williams, Chairman and CEO of different Capital, has reflected on a controversial statement he made approximately six years ago regarding housing affordability for the middle class. During his previous tenure as chairman of Proven REIT, while promoting a new residential development, Williams suggested that prospective buyers could afford units by reducing their daily coffee purchases—a remark that sparked significant public criticism and led to his subsequent apology, which he acknowledged as inappropriate at the time.

In a recent video address, Williams highlighted that the property in question, originally valued at $19 million, has now appreciated to an estimated $35 million. He presented this substantial valuation increase as evidence supporting his underlying argument about real estate’s wealth-building potential. “Don’t ramp and play around with real estate cause that is the path to your long-term wealth, think different,” Williams advised viewers, emphasizing strategic property investment as a key to financial growth.

Following his departure from Proven last year, Williams co-founded different Capital alongside businessman Gary Matalon. The new real estate brokerage firm aims to provide clients with access to investment properties throughout the Caribbean region, expanding opportunities for property investment and portfolio diversification.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has authoritatively declared Guyana’s transformation into a leading tourism hub for the Caribbean and South America, asserting that the nation’s long-anticipated tourism boom is no longer a future prospect but a present reality. The announcement was made during the inauguration of the new Plaza Court Hotel in Georgetown, symbolizing the country’s aggressive push into the global tourism market.

President Ali emphasized that strategic and unprecedented government investments in critical infrastructure, national safety, and human capital development have fundamentally shifted Guyana’s position from an aspirant to a formidable competitor in the international tourism arena. ‘Guyana is not waiting for a tourism boom. The boom has already begun,’ he stated. ‘We are not speculators anymore. We are coming for the market, and we are coming to be successful.’

A central theme of his address was the necessity for industry-wide collaboration. The President framed the entire national tourism sector as a unified entity selling a single product: ‘Brand Guyana.’ He urged all hotel operators and stakeholders to embrace shared standards and accountability, moving beyond individual branding to collectively enhance the nation’s appeal.

Ali outlined a three-pillar framework—safety, service, and experience—as the cornerstone of Guyana’s tourism strategy. He detailed enhancements in security infrastructure and technology-driven monitoring systems that have significantly bolstered public safety. To elevate service quality, the government is advancing plans for a world-class Hospitality Institute designed to equip Guyanese workers with internationally recognized skills.

Regarding the visitor experience, the President highlighted comprehensive upgrades, including streamlined airport processing, revitalized public spaces and historic corridors, and improved connectivity to entertainment districts, all aimed at creating a seamless and memorable tourist journey.

The nation is already reaping the benefits of this strategic push, with a notable surge in interest from international organizations seeking to host major conferences and events in Guyana. The President credited the private sector’s confidence and substantial investments as a vital driver of this growth, reaffirming the government’s commitment to fostering a pro-business environment that generates jobs and raises living standards.

Looking to the future, President Ali described a deliberate and sustained national project, fueled by historic investments in roads, bridges, ports, and airports, to establish Guyana as a premier sustainable tourism destination. The opening of the Plaza Court Hotel was presented as a tangible marker of this readiness, with the President concluding, ‘Brick by brick, runway by runway, room by room, we are laying the foundation for shared prosperity.’

In the high-stakes arena of celebrity public relations, Chris Chambers stands as a pivotal yet often unseen force. As the founder of The Chamber Group, a New York-based boutique PR firm established in 2006, Chambers has meticulously crafted the images and narratives for a veritable who’s who of music and entertainment royalty. His client roster boasts iconic names including Usher, Drake, Jamie Foxx, Erykah Badu, OutKast, and Ciara, solidifying his reputation as an industry titan.

Chambers’ journey into the world of PR began not by design, but through discovery. While pursuing a journalism major at NYU, a single workshop ignited his interest. “There were no real classes that focused on PR; at the time, the journalism department focused on English and writing,” he recalls. The pivotal turning point was an internship during his junior year at Set to Run Public Relations, a firm that worked with all the major music labels. As part of their inaugural internship program, Chambers was immersed in the fundamentals—drafting press releases, scheduling media days, and learning the core mechanics of the industry. This experience cemented his career path.

His expertise has not gone unnoticed. A significant career milestone was his inclusion in Billboard Magazine’s first-ever ‘Power Publicists’ list in 2023, an inaugural definitive roster highlighting the music industry’s most influential artist representatives. “It always feels good to be recognised for my work, especially amongst my peers… I can honestly say it was a highlight in my career,” Chambers noted.

The firm’s recent highlights, looking ahead to 2025, underscore its diverse and high-caliber influence. These include Usher’s prominent participation in the Met Gala and his role as the face of the Ralph Lauren fragrance “Ralph’s Club.” Further demonstrating the agency’s expansive reach beyond music, Chambers cites working with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the iconic premier ballet company, as a profound highlight. The year culminated with Grammy Award-winning rapper Future being named a face of Louis Vuitton, a major coup in the luxury fashion space.

Reflecting on client Usher’s monumental year, Chambers attributes his success to an unwavering commitment to craft. “Usher comes from that era where performers worked on their craft to be great — not okay or good!” he states, emphasizing that this dedication ensures audiences receive a performance worth the ticket price, offering an escape from everyday life. Chambers hints at even more exciting multi-platform projects on the horizon for the superstar.

The accompanying photographs—from on-location shoots for American Vogue with Erykah Badu to moments with fashion icon Naomi Campbell and editor Edward Enninful—provide a visual testament to The Chamber Group’s entrenched position at the nexus of music, fashion, and culture.