Digicel Barbados 10th Anniversary Feature

FEBRUARY 23, 2014 20-PAGE FEATURE

2. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 3

Since that day, February 11, 2004, we have continuously challenged ourselves not only to meet, but to exceed the TO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS, expectations of our family of suppliers, partners and staff, I would like to take this opportunity customers with the introduction of great rates, products, services and to wish you all the best for 2014. promotions – including the launch It’s remarkable to think that ten of Barbados’ first 4G network. years have gone by so fast.

A fourth Digicel pillar that we I remember so well when we do not often call out is our launched in Barbados and how commitment to our communities. proud we were – and still are – to bring our special combination I am proud to say that over the ten years in Barbados, my colleagues of best value, best network have given freely of their time to and best service to customers give back to communities, across this beautiful island.

Message from Digicel founder and chairman Denis O’Brien.

DENIS O’BRIEN

(RC)

once had none. Over the years, the Digicel network has evolved from a GSM network to an EDGE network to today being AS WE CELEBRATE OUR Barbados’ fastest tenth anniversary in 4G network.

Barbados, on behalf of the And we will continue entire Digicel family, I to evolve as the needs would like to extend a of customers evolve. sincere and heartfelt thank Our commitment you to all of our customers to Barbados through for choosing Digicel as delivering best value, best your service provider and to service and best network our suppliers and partners remains unwavering – as for working with us over the does our commitment years. to giving back to our Since that famous night MARK LINEHAN (RC) communities. As we grow at the Garrison Savannah year out, through providing as a company, we want our when over 30 000 you with the best value, communities to grow also.

Barbadians celebrated the best service and best On the sponsorship breaking of the monopoly, network. side, we are proud you have welcomed, It has been an supporters of everything embraced and supported from Crop Over to the us tremendously – you have extraordinary journey, and become a part of our daily today we are happy to say Barbados Reggae that Digicel is the No. 1 Festival, from the lives, as much as we have mobile provider in Caribbean Premier become a part of yours.

Barbados, evolving from an League to the West Indies With your help and initial promise to provide all cricket team, from football ongoing support, we have Barbadians with market to road tennis and from the delivered the latest in leading mobile services, Special Olympics to a host telecommunications into Digicel now being of community-based technology. initiatives and we look Our focus over the years recognized as the fastest growing full service forward to continuing to has been on you, our customers, listening to you business solutions partner. support and celebrate From day one, our focus everything that is good and delivering on your was on affordability and about Barbados. needs as you went from accessibility, allowing all I would like to take this simply wanting access to opportunity to thank all our mobile phones at affordable Barbadians the chance to have a mobile phone while staff, our dealers and our rates, to wanting more enjoying our innovative top-up vendors for their diversified packages, pricing and promotions and commitment, hard work access to data and our first class 24/7 and dedication over the the design of clever years ensuring that the solutions to meet both your customer care.

We brought our service needs of our customers personal and business to every nook and cranny were and continue to be needs. across Barbados bringing met on a daily basis.

We have been able to coverage to places that As we enter into our grow our business year in, Message from chief executive officer Mark Linehan

organizations, individuals and groups in the areas of sports, culture and charitable work across Barbados.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our wonderful staff, dealers and partners, Ralph “Bizzy” Williams and Sir Kyffin Simpson, for their passion, dedication and devotion which has made Digicel the mobile provider of choice in Barbados.

As Digicel looks towards the future, our focus remains the same – to meet and exceed the expectations of our extraordinary

11th year, we believe more strongly than ever in Barbados and our promise to continue investing in our business is just as strong, ensuring we deliver on the

customers. We are focused on enabling business growth for companies across Barbados with the ongoing expansion of Digicel Business’ suite of products and services, supported by a team of dedicated business solutions experts and ongoing investment in state of the art infrastructure.

I would like to thank each and every one of our valued customers across Barbados for your continued support of Digicel.

We look forward to serving you in the next ten years to come and beyond.

growing needs of not only our customers but on the needs of Barbados, supporting all industries as we collectively strive to grow the economy and

further develop this beautiful country.

We look forward to serving you, our customers, in the weeks, months and years ahead.

4. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

by NICK NUNES SINCE THE DIGICEL GROUP launched in Jamaica in 2001 and its Barbados beginnings in 2004, the company has seen a colourful and spiced growth that is well worth of excessive accolades for a multitude of reasons.

As it stands, Digicel has seen vast development from its not-so-quiet beginnings in Jamaica. When the company first opened up the mobile telecommunications market in 2001, the client base boomed to 100 000 in the first 100 days of mobile service. And in the next ten years, that number grew to two million in Jamaica alone.

Specifically in Barbados, the Digicel launch signalled the coming age of mobile diversity and competitive consumerism. Until then, LIME, formerly Cable & Wireless, was the top hat and monocle wearing monarch of telecommunications. The incoming of Digicel heralded the breaking of a monopoly and the birth of a diverse mobile market place bent on the satisfaction of customers the island over.

From the inception, Digicel drew tens of thousands to its Barbados launch with colourful creativity and a peaked interest from price reductions to fantastical festivities. As such, Digicel has maintained a tight grip on their ideals as go-getters and revolutionaries in the FOR A DECADE Digicel has been providing telecommunications market by reaching beyond the spheres of just being a mobile telecommunications excellent service and value. (FP)

group and engaging in the betterment of the wider Barbadian community.

When diving into the Barbadian market in 2004, Digicel welcomed its launch with a drawing of 30 000 consumers vying for a chance to be among the first to join the new network. Bringing those figures up to date, Digicel now celebrates 460 roaming partnerships in 162 countries around the world and a growing customer base of 13 million. Such outstanding growth has even earned the telecoms tycoon, Denis O’Brien, founder and chairman of Digicel, an honourable mention by Forbes.

From the onset of Digicel’s footings in Barbados, the company has offered islandwide coverage and presented a generous grouping of locations to facilitate the ease of access to mobile telecommunications for everyone.

Thanks to Digicel, Barbadians were gifted the freedom of choice from a brand that prides itself on customer satisfaction and trending innovation.

Dedication to development Digicel has become a company known for its participation in a myriad of promotions and events geared towards saturating the community with ideals of coming together and offering aid to those in need.

The company has planned to dedicate a substantial investment in building up the virtually non-existent

• Continued on next page.

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SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 5

• From Page 4. telephone infrastructure of Myanmar by the end of 2015. Keeping it local, Digicel has been the sponsor and benefactor of countless charities across Barbados ranging from offering educational and special needs support to investing in the betterment of health-care facilities throughout the island.

When it comes to Digicel, excitement abounds and the entertainment is constantly enriched by the group’s dedication to supporting charities and educational programmes along with a very festive interest in the realm of sports and social celebrations.

One of the first and continually commemorative events is the Digicel Fugitive promotion. Every year, since its Barbados beginnings, Digicel has hosted the promotional event to encourage social interaction and mobilization of the community with the desire to inspire fun and to bestow brilliant prizes upon its loyal customer

DIGICEL IS A proud sponsor of popular local event Reggae On The Hill. (FP) base. With other events, such as the Truck Load Of Cash and sponsoring of social events such as Reggae On The Hill and Soca On The Beach, Digicel goes beyond the necessary paradigms to engage and improve all manner of community wellbeing in Barbados with charity walks dedicated to developing education, special needs, and medical awareness and

enhancement within the greater Barbadian community.

Creative catering to consumers and customers Digicel, as a service provider, has been a leading force in bringing the extraordinarily dynamic world of telecommunications to the masses

in Barbados. In a world where the mobile market changes vastly from year to year, Digicel has been keeping pace and making waves for the market in respect to staying on point with the emergence of new technologies and revolutions in service offerings.

To date, Digicel has continued to offer competitive service packages for every niche

of the market. Whether a monthly post-paid package or a pre-paid fee and easy service suits your needs, Digicel has you covered. One of the largest growing concerns in the market is centred around data deals and Digicel has certainly got the grouping to suit your style.

Digicel offers per diem, weekly and monthly services on data plans

regardless of your proclivity to choose post – or pre-paid bundles. Even further to the satisfaction of customers, Digicel makes it easier and more convenient to top up on your mobile device while offering prizes and special deals or services to complement the transaction. Whether you are a corporate consumer or a simple data addict, Digicel’s 4G network has you covered when you need it most.

For the corporate consumer, Digicel Business is more than just an opportunity to enhance your business’ outreach, it is a partnership that can grow and catalyse any business into progression and success. Whether you are a part of a small business looking for the cutting edge of communication or a large enterprise seeking the highest in industry standards, Digicel Business has a plan for you. Digicel Business offers “technology to keep you on course,” and obviously “the right partner can propel you forward.”

Today we join Digicel Barbados in celebrating their

10th Anniversary.

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6. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

SOME TWENTY-THREE companies, with a combined asset base of US$116 million and an annual turnover of approximately US$85 million, report to Ralph “Bizzy” Williams.

These businesses include farming, manufacturing, property development, warehousing, equipment rental, electrical engineering, electrical contracting, yacht charter, well drilling, water desalination, garbage recycling and solar power – some of these in joint ventures with other companies.

Born in Barbados in July 1942, “Bizzy” as he is affectionately known, holds an honours degree in electrical engineering from the University of the West Indies.

His ability to expand and control such a range of companies has gained him the 2000 Ernst & Young Caribbean Entrepreneur Of The Year Award and in 2001, The Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award For Multiple Business Creation, which he won in Monte Carlo from participants drawn from a total of 19 countries.

An avid sailor, Williams launched Tiami (his acronym for This Is A Moving Investment)

SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 7

RALPH ‘BIZZY’ WILLIAMS

(FP)

Catamaran Cruises in Barbados – a concept that spawned a multimillion-dollar business in Barbados, St Lucia and St Kitts, employing over 150 people and providing tours each day for hundreds of visitors to the islands – one of the enduring examples of his creativity and business acumen.

Williams Industries Inc. is owned by 368 Barbadians

and St Lucians who are members of the Williams Industries Inc. team.

The company has as its main objective, the development of a business concept which amounts to a long-term plan that gradually transfers ownership from the original founders to the long-serving people who have worked to build the company.

This is an excellent illustration of concerting the providers of labour to owners of capital. Williams Industries Inc. perceives itself as a fifty-fifty joint venture between capital and labour.

The company also has a policy of seeking out partners in business who have technology that the company does not but who need Williams Industries Inc.’s local knowledge and ability to get things done in Barbados to make joint ventures successful.

Unsurprisingly, Williams is invested in the growing telecommunications wonder that is Digicel.

SIR KYFFIN SIMPSON (FP) SIR KYFFIN SIMPSON is regarded as one of the most outstanding Caribbean entrepreneurs of his time. His company, the Simpson Motors Group, is the leading automotive and commercial dealership in Barbados.

The company represents Mercedes Benz, Suzuki, Isuzu, Skoda, Chrysler, Daewoo, Opel, General Motors and Porsche, as well as JCB, Bobcat, Ingersoll Rand and Toyota Forklifts.

Simpson Motors has been the market leader in automotive sales for over two decades and maintains a high level of customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Sir Kyffin’s business interests span the entire Caribbean region and parts of South and Latin America. Adding to his already impressive list of enterprises, he is counted as a proud shareholder in the Digicel Group.

8. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL

FEBRUARY 28, 2013

TEN YEARS of breaking the mould and setting trends Since Digicel’s breaking of ground in Barbados a full decade ago, the company has seen nigh immeasurable growth and continues to provide innovation, diversity, and a continued effort to match the needs of the consumer market with fervent interest in individuals and companies alike.

Looking back, here are ten of the mega-milestones that Digicel leapt over in the past ten years.

A SECTION OF the 30 000-strong crowd which turned out for the official Digicel launch back in 2004. Inset, Digicel's then general manager, Roy Gillingham, with the Truck Load of Cash promotion grand prize winner, Roger Denny, as he poses with his new Isuzu truck and $100 000 cheque. (GP)

Š 2014 PricewaterhouseCoopers SRL, a Society with Restricted Liability organised under the laws of Barbados.

All rights reserved.

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 9

– Digicel launch drew a record without 30 000 – Revolutionizing telecommunication with per-second billing – Price reductions for telecommunication products – Reductions in voice cost for mobile usage – Network expansion via introduction of GPRS, EDGE and stunning 4G speeds in 2011 – Introduction of DigiBusiness catering to commercial consumers – Slashing of roaming rates – Fun times with the Digicel Fugitive – Last year’s corporate move to Williams Tower, Warrens, St Michael, and rebranding launch of Be Extraordinary.

THE DIGICEL CORPORATE headquarters moved to its new home in the Williams Tower, Warrens, St Michael. (FP)

connects us.

Ten years ago Digicel arrived in Barbados and made efficient, affordable communication available to all Barbadians.

This company enabled all Barbadians to be more efficient at significantly less cost.

In addition, Digicel has been an outstanding supporter of activities in all walks of Barbadian life - sport, social activities and West Indies cricket.

We thank you Digicel, you have been an excellent corporate citizen for all Barbadians from the richest to the poorest.

God bless you all.

FLASHBACK: An exuberant Marva Lashley after winning the Digicel Fugitive competition back in 2007. (FP)

Eveliny Arnal-Forde James Graham David Worrell David Drayton Hamilton Durant

Michael Clarke Anthony Williams George Chase Duane Yarde Karin Hurley

“Working to Build a Stronger Nation” visit our website at www.williamsind.com

10. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL FEBRUARY 23, 2014

FEBRUARY 23, 2014 SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 11

CAROLINE BABB – Financial Department KERRY FARNUM – Technical Department

“THIS WAS MY FIRST JOB out of university.

I feel as though I have become a man here and as the company has grown, so have I. I’m very proud to be a part of the progress.”

ENRICK BRATHWAITE – Technical Department “I’VE SEEN DIGICEL go through evolutions and I’ve seen the business from different standpoints. We have a very strong company and I’m proud to work in a company that has revolutionized the market in telecommunications.”

“IT’S BEEN A good ten years and the people make it a great place to work.

When I started I was in customer care.

After one year, I was given the opportunity to fill a position in the financial sector. The position I’m in allows for growth and with Digicel, there is always opportunity to learn something new.”

VALENCE HENRY – Technical Department “I’VE LEARNT HOW to be more efficient and get the most out of every day. Based on track record, in the future I can only see Digicel continuing to deliver and getting better.”

STAFF MEMBERS who have given ten years of service to Digicel posing with their awards.

TRACY CATLYN – Commercial Department (Corporate Sales) “IT IS VERY RARE for someone to be with a company from inception and be there ten years later when it celebrates ten years of operation, as this is normally reserved for owners and founders.

That’s how I feel about my experience at Digicel, that I am an owner and founder of something extraordinary; a company that has brought so much to Barbados and Barbadians.

I also feel like I am part of a close-knit family. Many people marvel at what Digicel has done here in Barbados, but what they don’t know is that it has been done with a relatively small staff when one takes into consideration our reach.

That’s the mark of a dedicated staff, a family that works together and grows together.”

RUDY ARCHER – Commercial Department TRACIE-ANN JESSAMY – Customer Care “I HAVE MADE some very good friends in the past ten years in both close colleagues and customers. One of whom we sadly lost, Corey Wood who we miss.

“I pretty much know every one that comes through Digicel. We trained together from the beginning and as soon as we got a corporate base I was interested to be a part of corporate customer care.

“The future is looking for no dull moments and I truly enjoy working for this company.”

“WHEN I STARTED with Digicel, I was a sales consultant and I was only supposed to work for three months.

Everyone was on contract back then.

Sean Austin was the only other person with sales experience.

“Then, after six months they asked me to culture the team. It’s been a wild ride for me.

After the first two years it already felt like ten.

You come to work and you perform for your clients.

“We still have people that leave, move on and then ask to come back.

We’re all ambassadors for Digicel. I have ten year clients that celebrate with us, it’s a celebration for everyone.”

(Pictures by Rawle Culbard.)

DIGICEL has demonstrated over the years that, as a company, they have the ability to satisfy their customers as well as their employees.

With the promise of a dynamic work environment that is constantly striving to keep up with the massively mobile telecommunications market, Digicel has managed to retain an impressive group of employees for their past ten years of service providing in Barbados.

ANDREA HINDS – Commercial Department “WORKING AT DIGICEL for the past ten years has been a challenging, dynamic and rewarding experience. I’ve learned that nothing is impossible as hard work and perseverance always pay off in the end.

“My experience has also taught me to be cognizant of others and that teamwork allows you to reach goals you wouldn’t reach on your own.

It also encourages you to appreciate the unique talents of others.

“Over the next five to ten years, I know Digicel will continue to grow as a company as it prides itself on delivering invaluable customer service, innovative products and services, as well as building lasting relationships with its extraordinary customers.”

EMMERSON MARSHALL – Digicel Business “WORKING AT DIGICEL for the past ten years I’ve been privileged to witness the company’s growth and evolution. I’ve spent many years in the telecommunications industry, but have never seen a company grow as rapidly as Digicel has over the last ten years. It has truly been a remarkable journey, which I have been blessed to share with 12 other ten-year employees, along with others who have come and gone over the years, many of whom I’ve developed long-lasting friendships with.

“I think that right now Digicel is poised to deliver even greater things to Barbados than it has already done over the last decade and I know that Barbadians will benefit greatly from the company’s commitment to growing this country.”

LAWRENCE BURNETT – Technical Department FABIEN BARKER – Commercial Department “WHEN I FIRST CAME into the company I was in customer care. Since then I’ve worked my way up to be the product manager. I think Digicel and I have both seen some very good growth.”

“ONE THING in my mind is that Digicel is almost like a family. We have a strong bond in the tech department and that’s what makes us successful. A good team makes it enjoyable to keep coming back every day for the last ten years.”

SHONELLE CLARKE – Financial Department

“AT DIGICEL, the environment is challenging but the dynamic of the team is like a family. One thing the company fosters is the team work we all exhibit, which is very important in finance.

My ten years have been very interesting; I’ve had a lot of progression. I like where I am so much so that I actually want to come in to work.”

MICHAEL ROCK – Customer Care “Just seeing how far we’ve come in the last ten years is amazing.

We’ve come so far forward, it’s hard to imagine what products and services were like back then. It’s almost like a generational bridge.

“Mobile power and services are hard to imagine from ten years ago, we’ve progressed by leaps and bounds.

This is definitely a milestone, what we’ve achieved is extraordinary and looking forward, I only see us getting better.”

10. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL FEBRUARY 23, 2014

FEBRUARY 23, 2014 SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 11

CAROLINE BABB – Financial Department KERRY FARNUM – Technical Department

“THIS WAS MY FIRST JOB out of university.

I feel as though I have become a man here and as the company has grown, so have I. I’m very proud to be a part of the progress.”

ENRICK BRATHWAITE – Technical Department “I’VE SEEN DIGICEL go through evolutions and I’ve seen the business from different standpoints. We have a very strong company and I’m proud to work in a company that has revolutionized the market in telecommunications.”

“IT’S BEEN A good ten years and the people make it a great place to work.

When I started I was in customer care.

After one year, I was given the opportunity to fill a position in the financial sector. The position I’m in allows for growth and with Digicel, there is always opportunity to learn something new.”

VALENCE HENRY – Technical Department “I’VE LEARNT HOW to be more efficient and get the most out of every day. Based on track record, in the future I can only see Digicel continuing to deliver and getting better.”

STAFF MEMBERS who have given ten years of service to Digicel posing with their awards.

TRACY CATLYN – Commercial Department (Corporate Sales) “IT IS VERY RARE for someone to be with a company from inception and be there ten years later when it celebrates ten years of operation, as this is normally reserved for owners and founders.

That’s how I feel about my experience at Digicel, that I am an owner and founder of something extraordinary; a company that has brought so much to Barbados and Barbadians.

I also feel like I am part of a close-knit family. Many people marvel at what Digicel has done here in Barbados, but what they don’t know is that it has been done with a relatively small staff when one takes into consideration our reach.

That’s the mark of a dedicated staff, a family that works together and grows together.”

RUDY ARCHER – Commercial Department TRACIE-ANN JESSAMY – Customer Care “I HAVE MADE some very good friends in the past ten years in both close colleagues and customers. One of whom we sadly lost, Corey Wood who we miss.

“I pretty much know every one that comes through Digicel. We trained together from the beginning and as soon as we got a corporate base I was interested to be a part of corporate customer care.

“The future is looking for no dull moments and I truly enjoy working for this company.”

“WHEN I STARTED with Digicel, I was a sales consultant and I was only supposed to work for three months.

Everyone was on contract back then.

Sean Austin was the only other person with sales experience.

“Then, after six months they asked me to culture the team. It’s been a wild ride for me.

After the first two years it already felt like ten.

You come to work and you perform for your clients.

“We still have people that leave, move on and then ask to come back.

We’re all ambassadors for Digicel. I have ten year clients that celebrate with us, it’s a celebration for everyone.”

(Pictures by Rawle Culbard.)

DIGICEL has demonstrated over the years that, as a company, they have the ability to satisfy their customers as well as their employees.

With the promise of a dynamic work environment that is constantly striving to keep up with the massively mobile telecommunications market, Digicel has managed to retain an impressive group of employees for their past ten years of service providing in Barbados.

ANDREA HINDS – Commercial Department “WORKING AT DIGICEL for the past ten years has been a challenging, dynamic and rewarding experience. I’ve learned that nothing is impossible as hard work and perseverance always pay off in the end.

“My experience has also taught me to be cognizant of others and that teamwork allows you to reach goals you wouldn’t reach on your own.

It also encourages you to appreciate the unique talents of others.

“Over the next five to ten years, I know Digicel will continue to grow as a company as it prides itself on delivering invaluable customer service, innovative products and services, as well as building lasting relationships with its extraordinary customers.”

EMMERSON MARSHALL – Digicel Business “WORKING AT DIGICEL for the past ten years I’ve been privileged to witness the company’s growth and evolution. I’ve spent many years in the telecommunications industry, but have never seen a company grow as rapidly as Digicel has over the last ten years. It has truly been a remarkable journey, which I have been blessed to share with 12 other ten-year employees, along with others who have come and gone over the years, many of whom I’ve developed long-lasting friendships with.

“I think that right now Digicel is poised to deliver even greater things to Barbados than it has already done over the last decade and I know that Barbadians will benefit greatly from the company’s commitment to growing this country.”

LAWRENCE BURNETT – Technical Department FABIEN BARKER – Commercial Department “WHEN I FIRST CAME into the company I was in customer care. Since then I’ve worked my way up to be the product manager. I think Digicel and I have both seen some very good growth.”

“ONE THING in my mind is that Digicel is almost like a family. We have a strong bond in the tech department and that’s what makes us successful. A good team makes it enjoyable to keep coming back every day for the last ten years.”

SHONELLE CLARKE – Financial Department

“AT DIGICEL, the environment is challenging but the dynamic of the team is like a family. One thing the company fosters is the team work we all exhibit, which is very important in finance.

My ten years have been very interesting; I’ve had a lot of progression. I like where I am so much so that I actually want to come in to work.”

MICHAEL ROCK – Customer Care “Just seeing how far we’ve come in the last ten years is amazing.

We’ve come so far forward, it’s hard to imagine what products and services were like back then. It’s almost like a generational bridge.

“Mobile power and services are hard to imagine from ten years ago, we’ve progressed by leaps and bounds.

This is definitely a milestone, what we’ve achieved is extraordinary and looking forward, I only see us getting better.”

12. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 13

Andrea Worrell – Head of Customer Care I’VE BEEN WORKING with Digicel for almost ten years. I came to work for Digicel in June of 2004. We do have a history of longevity within the business. I think for the tenth anniversary, we’re celebrating more than ten people that have been with us from that beginning date.

The needs of the mobile telecommunications market continue to grow.

As technology improves and as it increases, people need more and the need for data is insatiable. We present new devices to give our customers what they want, but that is a moving target and we continue to try to meet the needs and be a visionary for more.

Our customer numbers have grown well in the last few years. We are either fifty-fifty or just above the main competitor. We’ve kept a lot of our customers and we’ve kept them happy. The harder things get in the market, the more people try to get value for their money.

Every industry needs to step up to the plate and hear the customer and meet that need before it becomes a grouse or a culture.

Service excellence is one of the key tenants for Digicel and it is what has brought us to this stage ten years down the road.

Digicel’s customer care employees have to be tenacious and crave knowledge and want to understand the customers. Our agents are very technically astute.

Digicel is definitely committed to our customers and to pointing them in the right direction. With the advent of Digicel in the market, customers realize what they can get and that’s what they want, more of the good things that meet their needs at the first point of contact.

FROM LEFT to right (standing) Dave Cumberbatch, Romancia Rice, Marlon Payne, Cheryl King-Rome, Jermaine Shepherd, Michael Rock, Karen Bridgeman and Romel Sargeant. Front Row: Anya Weekes, Sharron Thomas, Andrea Worrell and Tracie-Ann Tessamy. Missing from the photo are Antoinette Green and Susan Griffith. (RC)

FROM LEFT to right, (back row) – Valence Henry, Dwight Grannum, Chris Fields, Lawrence Burnett, Kerry Farnum, Barrington Clarke and Irvin Harney. Sitting are George Belgrave-Herbert, Renee Cave and Kevin Harding. Missing is Enrick Brathwaite. (RC) Dwight Grannum – Head of Technical Department ORIGINALLY, I joined Digicel in 2003 and then after two years I left the company and went to do my Master’s, but then I came back in 2006 and have been with them ever since. My resignation was complete at the time. Then, my previous boss contacted me just as I was about to finish my thesis and he asked me if I wanted to come back. It was attractive enough that I had to accept.

The Technical Department has really good retention at Digicel. A lot of the guys that are coming up on their ten-year mark are in the Technical

Department. We’ve got Kerry, Enrick, Lawrence and Valence that are all ten-year employees. If I hadn’t left I would be considered in the group as well.

Our dimension when we first rolled out the network was basically only for GSM 900 and 1800, subsequent to that we added YMAX and 4G technology.

We continue to be on the cutting edge of rolling out technology in Barbados.

The company looks to try and secure the best talent and puts particular emphasis on the hiring process to get the best candidates. It’s a very challenging environment and very dynamic.

14. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

Kamante Millar – Chief Finacial Officer I’M STILL EARLY in the company.

I started November, 2013. I think I joined at a time when the organization is changing. Mark Linehan, who is the cheif executive officer, had recently taken on his post; my predecessor had just left; and another guy in ICT had just left. So, there have been a lot of moving pieces in the past few months that I’ve been here.

Ten years for Digicel is particularly exciting for me. I am originally from St Vincent. When Digicel did their first launch I was working for Ernest & Young in Worthing and I remember we had quite a discussion in the office about it and there was a lot of excitement about Digicel coming on board.

I remember they had a huge concert FROM LEFT to right (standing) Witney Lascans, Akeem Bruan, Caroline Babb, Moncell Brathwaite, Omar Estwick, Carlita Weekes-Small. Sitting are Shonelle Clarke, Kamante Millar and Jemma Paris. Missing is Katrina Wiltshire. (RC)

Congratulations Digicel

10 on your

FROM LEFT to right (standing): Gena Coulthrust, Shawn Hunte and Morline Francis. Sitting is Kerrigan Roach. (RC) Kerrigan Roach – Head of HR and Facilities I HAVE BEEN with Digicel for just over three years.

I have been in human resources all of my adult life, so that is over 20 years. Digicel has had very gradual progression over the past ten years. The staff has a commitment that has always been there and the quality of work has remained constant even with the changes in technology. We’ve moved from one technology to the next and there have been a lot of increases over the years but our staff remains constant. I think we are known for the quality of our work in terms of service.

The fact that in ten years we have thirteen members of staff who have been here since before the company officially started says a lot about the organization. A lot of them are not in the same line of work that they started in. We have another five or six members of staff who came shortly after and will be celebrating their ten years here in the next couple of weeks. They have all grown individually and personally as well as in their careers. The company supports all their members of staff in their professional pursuits. A lot of our staff are working towards higher degrees or ACCAs and have positions to reflect such.

Digicel is not an easy company to work for; it’s very demanding because of the nature of the telecommunications industry. This is the first company that I have worked for that utilizes the competencies and all the skills and abilities of each member of staff.

The pace is so fast at Digicel because the fact is that the industry is one that you cannot afford to miss the beat. The employees here all adapt to any situation beautifully. Digicel is a successful company because of our team’s dedication and we keep forging ahead.

at the Garrison which I had gone to with some of my friends. While I wasn’t a part of Digicel at the time, I still kind of felt associated with the excitement of seeing the start. Now, I get a chance to see what it is like from the inside. It has exceeded my expectations. I’m a driven person and I’m glad to be a part of a company that is also very driven.

The Barbados public is quite sophisticated with their use of technology and I’m excited to live up to that expectation and provide state-of-the-art services. One thing that is very striking about the Digicel team is how hard people work and they just naturally do things without anyone having to push them to get things done.

We do great work and I’m excited to be in such an environment.

th

Anniversary as a mobile phone network provider in Barbados.

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SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 15

FROM LEFT to right (standing) Andrea Hinds, Yasmine Millington, Kryste Smith, Marc Massiah, Shontelle CeasarMorris, Randy Howard, Shernell Cumberbatch, Tyson Thompson, and Keisha Mapp. Sitting are Fabien Barker, Alex Tasker and Devere Tempro. (RC)

FROM LEFT to right, (standing) Kevin Clarke, Tanisha Smith, David Gilligan, Geraldine Ryan, Larysa Gittens, Anthony Guppy, Gregory Puckerin and Deon Jordan. Sitting are Lee Langdon, Shakida Grant and Blake Broomes.

Missing is Martin Keogh. (RC)

Alex Tasker – Commercial Director – Commercial Department THE COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT is where the action happens. It’s where the messaging to our valued customers is created and developed and where we plan and execute the many promotions and sponsorships which Barbadians have grown to love and enjoy over the last ten years.

It is also where we have first contact with our customers through the retail channel, which allows us to get invaluable feedback from them and helps to inform the design of the products and services we develop to meet their needs.

Martin Keogh, Business Solutions Director – Digicel Business Digicel Business is the newest arm of Digicel’s operations here in Barbados, however, as has been seen over the last year there is great potential for its expansion. In a very short span we have achieved significant wins for the company, obtaining large accounts by designing and delivering comprehensive and scalable information communications technology solutions to clients with various requirements and demands.

The success of Digicel Business must however be attributed to the hard work of the dedicated staff, which

FROM LEFT to right (standing): Kerry Husbands, Tracy Catlyn and Rudy Archer. Sitting are Katrina Gremmel and Maria Lynch. (RC) I must commend this close-knit group who have planned and executed major promotions, brand changes, sponsorships and community projects over the last decade. Despite the challenging nature of these rollouts, the talent of the individuals in this team has shone through time and time again.

includes our Sales team, pre - and post Sales Engineering Support, our after-sales Customer Care team and Marketing and Administrative staff.

Without their daily push to deliver our services to our growing client base to the level at which Digicel’s customers have become accustomed to in the mobile arena, Digicel Business would not be the success it is today.

Their commitment is also why Digicel is now the island’s fastest growing provider of full service telecommunications solutions, a path that will surely result in the company becoming Barbados’ leading full service telecommunications provider.

16. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL

FROM THE DAY it was launched ten years ago Digicel has always managed to capture the attention of Barbadians, with imaginative promotions, class products and services.

And with Digicentres established in nine key locations across the island, the company not only is well placed to serve the needs of its many customers, it also ensures assistance is never too far away.

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

At the centre of 1. Northern Business Centre, Speightstown, St Peter 2. Shop #2 Sunset Crest, St James 3. The Colonnade Mall, Broad Street, The City 4. Cave Shepherd Broad Street, The City 5. Bridge Street Mall, Bridge Street, The City 6. Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St Michael 7. Coconut Walk, Hastings, Christ Church 8. Sheraton Mall, Sargeants Village, Christ Church 9. Digicel Oistins, Oistins, Christ Church

BARBADIANS attending the Freedom Concert hosted by Digicel at the Garrison Savannah, took the opportunity to check out the products and services on offer at the phone village that was specially set up for the occasion.

FLASHBACK 2004: Sales attendant Kimberly Green (left) helping Oliver White and Randolph Parris with their purchases in the Digicentre in Broad Street, The City.

Below: Digicel promoter Jamal Lashley (left, backing) handing out Digicel material such as T-shirts and bandannas.

E-mail: infobarb@asslbarbados.com

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 17

You’re Truly

10

Extraordinary ...

DIGICEL HAS BEEN proud supporters of many organizations, events and ventures in a variety of ways. (FP)

Congratulations to

DIGICEL BARBADOS DIGICEL HAS PROVEN itself to be a more than benevolent and magnanimous corporation over the past years of its operations. Going further than simple monetary support of charities and such, Digicel strives to open eyes and create awareness for causes that speak to the masses. Supporting local artistes and benign institutions throughout the community as well as supporting local industry in the realm of sport and cultural enrichment is simply a part of the Digicel team’s desire to add spice and progressive improvement to the lives of those they are able to affect.

From the SAVE Foundation and Special Olympics to Soca Titans and the Caribbean Premier League, just take a look at the magnificent list of organizations, institutions, events and individuals that Digicel has supported to vastly improve the community that is Barbados.

Charitable Organizations • Special Olympics of Barbados Inc. • Variety, the Children’s Charity • Barbados Cancer Society • Salvation Army • HIV/AIDS Foundation • SAVE Foundation • Barbados Vagrants and Homeless Society • Hope Foundation • Autism Spectrum Conference • Junior Chamber International

• Continued on next page.

On the achievement of

“

stellar years of remarkable service “Perfection consists not in doing “Pe extraordinary things, s but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” ~ Angelique Arnault ~

18. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

FROM THE ROADS to the stage, Digicel has sponsored many. Pictured here are Red Plastic Bag and Neil Armstrong. (FP)

• From Page 17.

Institutions • Nightengale Children’s Home • St Philip District Hospital • Geriatric Hospital • Irving Wilson School • Challenor Creative Arts and Training Centre • Ellerton Special Unit • Erdiston Special School Major Supported Events • Digicel Barbados Reggae Festival • Hennessy Artistry • Cohobblopot • Big Show Tent • Soca On The Hill • Soca Titans • Socatology Sports • West Indies Cricket • Caribbean Premier League • Grassroots Cricket • Sir Garfield Sobers Under-19 Tournament • Sir Garfield Sobers Golf Tournament • Rockley Golf Open • Battle Of The Sexes Polo • Digicel Premier League Football • Kickstart Chelsea Football Academy • National Inter-parish Road Tennis Tournament • Barbados Auto Racing League: Williams/Digicel International Race Meet Ambassadors/Affiliates/Endorsees • Red Plastic Bag • Mikey • Peter Coppin • Jon Doe • Kirk Brown • Most Wanted Entertainment (Porgie And Murda) • Verseewild • Malissa Alanna • Dane Mackie (Surfer) • Roger and Barry Mayers (Rally Drivers) • Neil Armstrong (Rally Driver)

CONGRATULATIONS Digicel on your anniversary, and we wish you continued success!

Warrens, St. Micheal. Tel: 417-7777 | www.simpson-motors.com

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 19

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