Cruise and shipping industry veteran Alexander Gumbs is now the Chief Executive Officer of the Port St Maarten Group, charged with leading one of the region’s top cruise destinations. 

Gumbs’s track record made him the ideal choice to lead one of the generators of the country’s economy, responsible for up to one third of its GDP, according to Port St Maarten. 

“I do recognize the current economic challenges and the pandemic that we have to operate in as a company,” said Gumbs. “I would like to ensure that we have a great team at Port St. Maarten, and we will be successful in rebuilding our cruise sector and growing the cargo and yachting pillars of the economy.

“We do recognize the potential challenges of the yachting sector, and in the coming months we will be organizing stakeholder engagements seeking practical and workable solutions to challenges being faced by various segments of our economy,” he said. “I am happy to be back home to serve my country, and I look forward to working on the collective goals thereby further improving our economic footprint and overall performance.”

Gumbs was named to the position after scoring the highest in the recruitment process and completing a screening and background check process, the company said. 

The 33-year-old, homegrown executive professional most recently served as Director of Port Operations & Development at one of the largest global cruise corporations.  

Some of the key points that Gumbs will be addressing are the continued sustainable growth of cruise and cargo pillars; facilitating the yachting sector; data research and innovative development; corporate compliance principles and executing the strategic objectives as outlined in the recently completed E & Y High Level Plan.  

One of the CEO’s first orders of business will be a scan of the business, followed by the implementation of a tactical action plan to solve any current outstanding matter, he said. 

— CJ