CARICHAM elects new executive
CARICHAM, the Network of Caribbean Chambers of Commerce, elected Ms. Kiran Maharaj, (Past President of the Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce) as its new Chairperson; Ms. Vanessa Victorin (Head of the International Unit at the Martinique Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and Mr. Gino Naarden (Advisor, Suriname Chamber of Commerce) as its Vice-Chairs at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on July 9th, 2026.
Representing over 100,000 businesses, the Network comprises 24 business service organizations (BSOs) in the Caribbean region.
At the virtual AGM, Ms. Maharaj, the incoming Chairperson, told participants that over her tenure in office she would “continue to fully capitalise on the strength of the network through its four pillars of trade facilitation, advocacy and member value, sharing best practices, and disaster risk reduction. CariCham's next chapter will be defined not by ambition alone, but by delivery. We are a network with a coordinated regional influence; turning vulnerability into shared resilience and always looking for ways to convert regional relationships into concrete business opportunities and capacity.” Outgoing Chairperson, Martin Cave highlighted that “If the Caribbean region is to sustain the development of its people, we must have a panoply of trading partners, and CariCham’s role is to be a facilitator of this.”
From inception to now, CariCham has made this a key priority as a member of the ARISE Network and has consistently worked with regional and international partners such as the United Nations Office of Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the Organisation if Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific States (OACPS), the Caribbean Private Sector Organization (CPSO), the OECS Business Council, the CARICOM Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA), and the other Networks of Chambers globally.
What is CariCham?
CARICHAM is the only region‑wide network that unites Chambers of Commerce and other BSOs from across the Caribbean to promote trade, resilience and a stronger private‑sector voice, representing more than 100,000 businesses in multiple languages and territories. It was formed in 2019 to collaborate for economic growth, regional integration and private‑sector resilience, bringing together Chambers from English, Spanish, French and Dutch‑speaking countries and territories, stretching from the Bahamas to Suriname and from Belize to Barbados. Members collectively represent more than 1,600 years of institutional experience, with the oldest chamber founded in 1759. The network is governed by an annually elected Chair and Vice‑Chairs, together with the Immediate Past Chair, forming the Executive Committee that steers CARICHAM
Kiran Maharaj, Chair
Kiran Maharaj is Chair of the Network of Caribbean Chambers of Commerce (CARICHAM), representing chambers across the region and more than 100,000 businesses. A two-term past President of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, she led flagship advocacy initiatives and founded alliances and committees to drive non-energy sector growth. She is also President and Co-Founder of the non-profit Media Institute of the Caribbean, serving 22 countries and championing transparency and robust information ecosystems.
Vanessa Victorin, Vice-Chair
Vanessa Victorin heads the International Unit at CCI Martinique, leading export promotion, investment attraction and regional economic cooperation. With over a decade in international trade, she has supported hundreds of Caribbean SMEs on export strategy and market access and manages international programmes and partnerships. A Paris 8 graduate with a Master’s in International Trade, fluent in French, English and Spanish, she is CARICHAM’s Vice‑Chair, focused on strengthening collaboration and regional trade opportunities.
Gino Naarden, Vice-Chair
Gino Naarden is a community development specialist, engineer and strategic consultant, and Vice Chair of CARICHAM. He is founder and CEO of Naarden International Consulting Group and Executive Director of Y‑Academy, which delivers empowerment programmes to around 1,000 people annually in Suriname. His work blends Nordic co‑creation models, private‑sector development and grassroots engagement to build inclusive value chains and support SMEs. A trained aircraft engineer, he also has a distinguished professional volleyball career with national and international titles.