Dear Colleagues, and Members:
I hope that 2016 is turning out to be a good year as many new consulting opportunities are coming up. I am indeed excited to note that there has been an upsurge in members forming informal consortia to bid and win on regional projects. I am equally happy to note that members have also extended invitations to non-members to be part of their networks. I hope that this momentum can be maintained and/or further strengthened.
I am happy to report that The Bahamas and Jamaican Interim Chapters are working assiduously at becoming full Chapters. We are also meeting with a few of our colleagues in Guyana to explore how management consultants there can become part of the CICMC family. Recently, I had the honour of meeting with members of the Barbados Chapter and they are doing some exciting things like establishing strategic alliances with key private sector institutions and even the media. The CICMC footprint is definitely growing bigger.
As most of you already know, the Association of Management Consultants Inc. in collaboration with the CICMC Regional Planning Committee has already started working on Conference 2016. A Conference Handbook Committee has been established, and all Chapters are also actively involved in resource mobilization for the Conference. One of the novel ideas that has come up for mobilizing sponsorship in Saint Lucia is the request for sponsorship in lieu of rebated consultancy services to the sponsoring entity. In one instance consultants have agreed to prepare a specified number of strategies and concept papers in exchange for a sponsorship. I am sure that other Chapters are also coming up with new innovative ways of sourcing funds.
Our theme this year is, “Increasing Competitiveness for Export Led Growth: The role of the services sector in improving productivity and promoting innovation”. This theme was chosen against the recognized importance of the services sector in the region. The services sector in the Caribbean accounts for over half of the gross domestic product of the vast majority of the economies in the entire region and constitutes the single largest sector in most jurisdictions. Access to efficient services has therefore become crucial for the productivity and competitiveness of the entire regional economy. Management Consulting is one of these services sectors and has, over the years, become one of the leading sectors to encourage productivity and innovation.
The Conference is expected to feature delegates from throughout the region, colleagues from the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI), and from our sister Management Consulting Institutes in North America and Europe. We are also extending invitations to other Regional Organisations; Professional Services Associations; and the Caribbean Network of Services Coalitions. It is envisaged that our speakers will be from international and regional organisations and also practitioners in the export of services.
Conference highlights will include:
- Technical Sessions
- Panels and Roundtables
- Professional Development Workshops
- VIP Networking Sessions
- Cultural Night Activities
All of our conference activities are branding opportunities for our institutional partners, providing access to high level thinkers, policy makers and private sector owners/managers from the entire Caribbean in one location.
We will soon be announcing more details on the Conference, including the costs and the Early Bird Specials. Please look out for this information in our next issue. I hope you will give me the honour of welcoming each of you to Conference 2016 which will be held in Saint Lucia from September 7 to 9.
