Last week in Portfolio we launched our “Meet SLASPA’s Managers” series where we introduced you to Sean Matthew, SLASPA’s General Manager and CEO and one of St. Lucia’s top executives. Continuing with our series, this week, we present another consummate professional, Mr. Ben Emmanuel, Senior Director Corporate Services and Administration.

Ben Emmanuel is a highly experienced public service executive having worked in the public sector for over thirty years. Prior to his appointment as Senior Director Corporate Services and Administration in 2008, he served in several Government Ministries, starting his career in 1978 as a Community Officer within the Ministry of Youth, Community Development and Social Affairs. By 1995 he was appointed Director of Youth and Community Services after serving as National Coordinator for the Youth Skills Project from 1993 to 1995. Mr. Emmanuel also served in the Ministry of Commerce, Investment and Consumer Affairs as Director of Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU) and later Deputy Permanent Secretary from 2000 until his appointment as Permanent Secretary in 2002. In 2006, Mr. Emmanuel was appointed Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Communications, Works, Transport and Public Utilities where he served until 2008.

As Senior Director, Corporate Services and Administration at SLASPA, Mr. Emmanuel is responsible for the Corporate Services, Legal, Information Systems and Human Resource and Administration Departments. Mr. Emmanuel leads a team of dedicated professionals who fulfill some of SLASPA’s major roles which include designing, implementing and maintaining SLASPA’s computer information systems taking care of the needs of its over 400 employees and ensuring that SLASPA operates within the Legal framework under its parent Act, regulations and all other applicable statutory and common law requirements.

Mr. Emmanuel was educated in the United Kingdom, USA and Canada holding an MBA – Management from Long Island University, New York, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Monroe College, New York, USA , a Post Graduate Diploma – Social Planning from London School of Economics, London, England and a Certificate in Cooperative Education St. Frances Xavier University, Nova Scotia, Canada. In addition, Mr. Emmanuel has completed several professional programs to include an Executive Programme in Public Management from Schulich Executive Education Centre, York University; International Trade Promotion training from the International Institute for Trade Thailand and Innovations in Trade and Investment and Finance Policy training from the Centre for Public Sector Leadership in Singapore.

Thank you for reading this week’s Portfolio and in the next’s edition, we will present to our first female Manager to be profiled, Ms. Daniella Martelly, SLASPA’s Financial Controller.