News Americas, FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. , Aug. 11, 2025: iQor CXBPO, a global leader in customer experience business process outsourcing (BPO), today announced its acquisition of JumpCrew, a premier provider of outsourced B2B sales and marketing solutions. This strategic move expands iQor’s ability to deliver seamless, tech‑enabled support across the entire customer lifecycle — from acquisition to retention — and reinforces its position as a full-service CX partner for leading brands.

Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, JumpCrew delivers Growth as a Service (GaaS) through an integrated stack of lead generation, content creation, RevOps automation, and dedicated sales teams. The company has generated over $1 billion in new revenue for its clients — the fastest-growing and most innovative brands.

“iQor’s CXBPO expertise and JumpCrew’s unique Growth as a Service execution will deliver a seamless end-to-end customer lifecycle service. This powerful combination, leveraging iQor’s global delivery network and next-generation Voice-of-the-Customer insights, will allow our clients to grow, retain, and optimize their business with enhanced efficiency and performance outcomes,” said iQor President and CEO Chris Crowley.

Clients will now benefit from a unified solution that offers:

Lead generation, pipeline conversion, customer service, and retention

Integrated CX and sales execution, backed by Insights iQ real‑time analytics

ROI optimization across the customer lifecycle

JumpCrew’s proprietary AdPost platform further enhances iQor’s technology stack and infinityAiQ platform, providing businesses with a powerful toolset for managing digital campaigns, tracking performance, and centralizing customer acquisition data.

“Joining iQor unlocks unprecedented scale for JumpCrew’s proven Growth as a Service approach. With a world-class client portfolio, we know what it takes to drive pipeline growth. Backed by iQor’s global infrastructure and CX intelligence, we’ll deepen those relationships, accelerate lead generation, and innovate faster while preserving the agility and client focus that define JumpCrew,” said Robert Henderson, CEO of JumpCrew.

This acquisition continues iQor’s evolution as a digitally enabled CX service provider, combining human problem-solving with AI‑driven insights from millions of service interactions. The combined companies of iQor and JumpCrew will be led by Chris Crowley as President and CEO. JumpCrew will preserve its brand name and entrepreneurial culture under the leadership of Robert Henderson, who will report to Chris Crowley.

About iQor CXBPO
iQor CXBPO is a trusted partner in intelligent customer experience solutions, delivering exceptional results for global brands. With 40,000 employees across 10 countries, we combine 30 years of industry expertise with cutting-edge AI-driven innovations to optimize customer interactions at every stage. Our agile, scalable solutions ensure seamless omnichannel engagement, driving loyalty and measurable business success. Recognized as a Great Place to Work® and a leader in CX excellence, we elevate performance through a people-first approach, operational expertise, and secure, technology-enabled solutions. Learn more at iQor.com.

About JumpCrew
JumpCrew is a Nashville‑based Growth as a Service agency specializing in outsourced B2B sales and marketing. Founded in 2016, JumpCrew helps companies generate leads, build pipeline, and close more deals through a proven stack of content, automation, and dedicated sales teams. Learn more at www.JumpCrew.com.

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Aug. 8, 2025: The much heralded Caribbean Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program – long a lightning rod for both global scrutiny and investor interest – is about to enter a new era of regional oversight.

In a rare show of unity, five Eastern Caribbean nations – Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Lucia – will jointly enact legislation this September creating the region’s first-ever regulator for these programs.

This move follows nearly two years of high-level diplomacy and tense negotiations with the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union, all of which have pressed for tighter controls amid global concerns over illicit finance and security loopholes.

The new watchdog will wield binding authority to set common standards, enforce stricter due diligence (including mandatory biometric collection at applicant interviews), and coordinate closely with CARICOM’s crime and security arm to vet all applicants through a centralised portal.

For the OECS, the shift isn’t just about compliance – it’s about survival. CBI revenues have been critical lifelines for small island economies battered by hurricanes, COVID-19, and global economic shocks, funding everything from infrastructure to climate resilience projects.

Officials say the unified regulator is designed to protect both the economic lifeblood of the islands and the reputations of their passports in the eyes of the world — ensuring the programmes remain viable, secure, and credible for decades to come.

As the OECS Commission put it: “Dismantling these programmes would severely compromise the prospects and prosperity of these countries… This is about safeguarding our future.”

“The key objectives of the regulator are to help enhance the transparency, security and sustainability of these vital Programmes. The regulator will issue binding standards on all CBI/CIP Units (CIUs) and all licensees involved with these programmes,” the OECS Commission said, adding that there is now  the collection of biometrics for all new applicants.

“Biometrics will be collected at the time of the interview, which is part of the application process. This provision is intended to enhance the security of these programmes by further strengthening the vetting process of all applications.”

News Americas, ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Mon. Aug. 4, 2025: Aisha Maina, Managing Director of Aquarian Consult and founder of Gemini Integrated Commodities, has completed an intensive week of engagements, capped by a USD 40 million deal to build a Panamax deep-water port and special economic zone in Basseterre, St. Kitts, that unite policy, private capital and hard infrastructure around a single objective: forging a reliable commercial bridge between Africa and the Caribbean.

At the signing of the USD$ 40m Port deal for St Kitts & Nevis: L-R (Middle): 1. Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, PM, St. Kitts & Nevis, Hon Minister Samal Duggins, Minister of Agriculture et. Al, St. Kitts and Nevis, Miss Aisha Maina, Managing Director, Aquarian Consult, Mr. Eric Intong, Acting Group Managing Director, Client Relations, Afreximbank and Prof. Benedict Oramah, President, Afreximbank.

The new port will anchor a 10 square kilometre special economic zone designed for agro-processing, light assembly and bonded warehousing. Feasibility studies begin in August, and financial close is targeted for Q1 2026. The facility is expected to create thousands of jobs and attract an additional USD 300 million in private investment. For Saint Kitts & Nevis, a nation of fewer than 60,000 people, the project positions the federation as a logistics hinge between 19 African and 12 Caribbean Commonwealth members. For exporters in West Africa, it removes a costly European detour and delivers end-to-end digital customs visibility.

One Week, Three Strategic Touchpoints

1. Port Signing In Grenada – July 28th
 At the Afreximbank Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum in Grenada, Maina co-signed a USD 40 million Letter of Interest with Afreximbank and the Government of St Kitts & Nevis. Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew witnessed the signing, while Honourable Samal Duggins, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, signed for the island nation. The agreement finances a Panamax-capable deep-water port in Basseterre and a ten-square-kilometre special economic zone for agro-processing and light assembly.

“Africa and the Caribbean need assets, not just aspirations. With this port we move from promise to throughput, from talk to tonnage. It is the physical backbone of a trade bridge that has been too long in the making,” Maina said on stage.

Duggins added: “Fresh off the Afri-Caribbean Exchange, I proudly signed a landmark Letter of Interest with Afreximbank. Facility after facility, deal after deal, we are not just talking transformation; we are delivering it. The vision is clear, the progress is real, and the future is now.”

2. Caribbean Investment Forum In Jamaica – July 30th
 From Montego Bay’s main stage, Maina confirmed that feasibility and environmental studies for the Basseterre port will begin in August. She outlined a corridor that cuts Lagos-to-Basseterre sailing times to about seven days, eliminating costly European detours.

“If private sector does not take charge of the process, we will remain where we have been. Retreat or defeat are not options,” she told delegates.

3. Trans-Atlantic Symposium In Trinidad – August 3rd
 Maina closed the week in Port of Spain, delivering the keynote “Why Caribbean and Africa Trade and Investment and Economic Cooperation Matter” at the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Symposium organised by the Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago. She connected port logistics, economic-zone clustering and new financing tools to broader goals of youth employment, food security and diversified exports.

Project Snapshot

MetricDetailInitial financeUSD 40 millionBerth capacityOne Panamax berth, expandable to twoConstruction jobs600 direct positionsFollow-on capitalUSD 300 million projected private investmentStudies launchAugust 2025Financial closeQ1 2026First containerQ4 2028

Regional and Global Implications

Shorter transit times – Direct sailings remove European detours and lower freight costs.

Value-addition hub – The special economic zone lets African raw materials be processed closer to North American markets.

Commonwealth relevance – One of the Commonwealth’s smallest states will host a strategic maritime asset linking 19 African and 12 Caribbean members.

Private-capital leadership – Gemini Integrated Commodities co-invests with Afreximbank, placing execution risk on balance-sheet owners rather than policy desks.

Background

Momentum began in March with the Afri-Caribbean Investment Summit in Abuja, followed by a June charter of an Air Peace 777 carrying 120 Nigerian entrepreneurs and policymakers to Basseterre. The Grenada signing, Montego Bay confirmation and Trinidad keynote now merge those earlier steps into a single infrastructure roadmap.

About Aquarian Consult

Aquarian Consult is a Nigeria-based advisory and investment firm specialising in trade facilitation, human-capital development and infrastructure. Through Gemini Integrated Commodities, the company designs and executes projects that connect African markets to global value chains, with a focus on Africa-Caribbean integration.

News Americas, PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Mon. July 28, 2025: After more than two decades, ExxonMobil may be heading back to Trinidad — and the implications could be huge for the country’s oil, LNG, and energy services sectors.

The U.S. energy giant is reportedly in advanced talks with the Trinidad and Tobago government to explore up to seven deepwater offshore blocks located off the island’s East Coast. These blocks sit just north of the Guyana-Suriname basin, where Exxon has made over 30 major oil discoveries since 2015.

The negotiations are occurring outside of Trinidad’s current deepwater bid round, which closes in September 2025 – a legal move allowed under Trinidad’s energy framework. This strategic re-entry suggests Exxon sees new potential in Trinidad’s offshore reserves, long considered mature but underexplored at ultra-deep water depths. “If all goes well, I will be able to make a very positive announcement,” said Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal, signaling the government’s optimism about a landmark deal.

A Regional Energy Reset?

Exxon’s return could mark a turning point not just for Trinidad, but for the wider Caribbean’s upstream energy future. With natural gas as the country’s main revenue driver, a new wave of exploration could revitalize LNG exports, feed petrochemical industries, and inject much-needed momentum into the energy services and supply chain ecosystem.

Trinidad is already home to Atlantic LNG, one of the largest gas processing and export hubs in the Western Hemisphere. However, gas production has declined in recent years. A successful Exxon deal could help reverse that trend — especially if paired with joint ventures and long-term offtake agreements.

The move also aligns with shifting global energy dynamics. As Europe and Asia look to diversify energy supply chains, Caribbean gas is back on the map, particularly from politically stable nations with ready infrastructure.

For Investors: Signals to Watch

Deepwater Expansion: If finalized, this deal could pave the way for more international oil companies (IOCs) to revisit Trinidad’s basins.

Supply Chain Rebound: Local services, logistics, and fabrication firms stand to benefit from new offshore activity.

Regional Synergies: With Exxon already dominant in Guyana, its return to Trinidad could spark cross-border energy coordination.

So — could Exxon’s return ignite a new boom?

If talks succeed, the answer may be yes — and Trinidad could once again become a leading energy hub in the Caribbean and beyond.

News Americas, DURHAM, N.C., July 22, 2025: Aspida Life Re Ltd (“Aspida Re”), a Bermuda-based life and annuity reinsurance company, announced the execution of its second reinsurance transaction in Japan, effective June 1, 2025. This milestone marks a significant step in Aspida Re’s ongoing strategy to expand its global footprint and deliver innovative reinsurance solutions to life and annuity insurance partners worldwide.

The transaction was completed with a highly rated Japanese life insurance carrier (“Company”). Aspida Re, rated A- (Excellent) by AM Best, will reinsure new or incoming flow business. The reinsured product is a Japanese yen (JPY) denominated fixed annuity, highlighting Aspida Re’s ability to manage foreign exchange risk and deliver tailored solutions to its cedents.

“This transaction is highly strategic for Aspida Re,” said David Florian, CEO of Aspida Re. “It reflects our deep commitment to the Japanese market and our broader vision of supporting insurers around the world with innovative, capital-efficient reinsurance solutions.”

Aspida Re’s continued growth in Asian markets demonstrates its agility and expertise in navigating complex regulatory and financial environments, while reinforcing its role as a trusted partner in the global reinsurance landscape.

“We are excited to secure our second Japanese reinsurance agreement,” said Jon Steffen, President and Chief Actuary of Aspida Re. “Our flexibility and customized solutions allow us to provide significant advantage to clients and partners, no matter their location.”

To learn more about Aspida Re, visit aspidare.bm.

About Aspida Re

Aspida Life Re Ltd (“Aspida Re”), a Bermuda-based reinsurance platform, is focused on providing efficient and secure life and annuity reinsurance solutions to its global clients. Aspida Re seeks to be a trusted partner in its clients’ long-term financial growth by delivering creative, customized solutions while driving business by doing good for the communities it serves. Aspida Re is part of Aspida Holdings Ltd, with over $23.1bn in total assets as of March 31, 2025. A subsidiary of Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) acts as the dedicated investment manager, capital solutions, and corporate development partner to Aspida Re. For more information on Aspida Re, please visit www.aspidare.bm or follow them on LinkedIn.