Guardian Business
MovieTowne founder Derek Chin, late insurance executive Sydney Phillips and SM Jaleel and Company Limited have been announced as recipients of 2018 Champions of Business Awards.
They will be honoured on November 1 when the T&T Chamber of hosts the 14th edition of its annual Champions of Business Awards Ceremony at the National Academy for Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port-of-Spain. Chin and Phillips will be inducted into the Business Hall of Fame, while SM Jaleel is the winner of the Internationally Known...T&T Owned Company of the Year award.
Chin is the CEO of the Dachin Group of Companies which encompasses multiple cineplex locations, commercial developments, three premier restaurant franchises, security services, gaming and digital media companies. His companies have supported, and continue to support many charitable and corporate social responsibility activities, including United Way, an annual Christmas party for children and the Secondary Schools Film Competition.
Phillips was the first President of Guardian Life of the Caribbean Limited and its Chief Executive Officer through its predecessor—spanning some 16 years. He was a mentor and inspiration to many he encountered and even when he retired in March 1994, continued to serve as a director of both Guardian Life (until May 5, 2005) and Guardian Holdings Limited (until April 19, 2001).
Since its establishment in 1924 by Sheik Mohammed Jaleel, SM Jaleen and Company Limited has remained a family enterprise, 100 per cent locally owned. The company has steadily moved to conquer new export markets is one of the global players in the beverage industry.
Through a culture of innovation and creative leadership, SM Jaleel has steadily grown its operations and currently employs more than 1300 people in ten countries. The company is also generous supporter of corporate social responsibility and charitable initiatives such as beach clean-ups, private scholarships to UWI and UTT, partnership for two years with Vitas House Hospice and relief efforts to Dominica in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017.
The Champions of Business Awards honours some of T&T’s finest business minds—both accomplished and emerging. In an evening of warmth and accolades, business people who have distinguished themselves in service to their companies and to their country, are recognized by their peers for excellence in business performance and philanthropic practices.
On board again this year, the First Citizens Group is the category sponsor for the Internationally Known…T&T Owned Company of the Year award. This year a new Business Technology award is being added, with bmobile joining as the category sponsor. EY will continue its partnership as the category sponsor for the Entrepreneur of the Year (Emerging, Start Up and SME) Awards.
The keynote address at the awards ceremony will be delivered Peter van der Gracht. A serial technology entrepreneur and successful technology start-up veteran, van der Gracht has more than 25 years of experience leading companies through multiple financings, operational build-outs, acquisitions, mergers and buyouts. He has broad experience in wireless, software, hardware, telecom, automotive, resource and broadband industries.
Throughout his career, he identified, funded, designed and launched dozens of innovative technology products, and was responsible for all aspects the corporate operations.