On Monday, Trinidad and Tobago national Robert Bermudez assumed duties as the sixth Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI).
Bermudez was appointed at the University Council’s annual business meeting on April 27 to succeed Sir George Alleyne.
Chancellor Bermudez, has been an entrepreneur for over 40 years. According to UWI release “He led the growth of his family-owned firm, to a regional business throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. He enjoyed a distinguished career in business, serving as either Chairman or Board Director for several corporate bodies in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.”
The vision of the new chancellor for the regional university “outlines a keen sense of the mission, effectiveness, relevance and interdependence of academia and the economy. His professional experience as a Caribbean-wide entrepreneur with business acumen garnered from across the region suggests that he will continue the outstanding tradition of Chancellorship at the University.
His predecessors include Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (1948-1971); Sir Hugh Wooding (1971-1974); Sir Allen Montgomery Lewis (1975-1989); Sir Shridath Ramphal (1989-2003); and Sir George Alleyne (2003-2017).
The institution also thanked Sir George Alleyne for his tenure of 23 years working at the regional University, including 14 years of service as Chancellor.
The official installation ceremony for Chancellor Bermudez will be in September, at the university’s St. Augustine Campus.
“Our new Chancellor has demonstrated through his many roles a man conscious of his Caribbean identity and responsibility. He’s willing to provide leadership to our people at home and beyond, in the entrepreneurial arena and elsewhere. He’s amply energized for the role of Chancellor of our beloved UWI. He comes to office on the eve of our 70th anniversary during which the university community will be reflecting upon 70 years of service and leadership. It will be an honor for us to have him presiding over these activities,” said Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles,
