Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 1, 2017 – Lafito Industrial Free Zone, S.A., an integrated free zone in Haiti, announces today that Mario Charest has joined the team as the COO of power generation.
Lafito Industrial Free Zone, S.A. (LIFZ) announced today that Mario Charest, has joined the company as Chief Operating Officer of Power Generation. Mr. Charest is responsible for the commercial and technical aspects of power generation at LIFZ. Mr. Charest has a wealth of experience in the operations of power plants and a deep understanding of the power sector in Haiti. Mr. Charest has over 30 years in the power generation business and most recently was overseeing the power plant at Caracol. Prior to his current position, for over 3 years, he was the technical director advisor to EDH. He developed medium term investment plans, provided on-going technical advises on existing and future power generation in Haiti and developed models for evaluating productions costs associated with different technologies. Prior to working in Haiti, Mario has worked in other countries including Ecuador, Canada, Bangladesh, China, Egypt and Benin.
In addition to overseeing the technical operations of the power plant, Mario will be responsible for the commercial development of the existing power plant and its expansion. Given the demand forecast, LIFZ is expected to quickly expand its capacity by including the addition of solar energy with the completion of the RSI manufacturing facilities.
“We are fortunate to add someone with Mario’s depth of experience in power generation in Haiti. His broad background in technical aspects of power generation as well as experience in Haiti and other international experiences enables Mario to be well suited to oversee the development of power generation at LIFZ. The growth and expansion of the power plant at LIFZ will fuel the development of the entire area. We are pleased to have Mario oversee this exciting development “said Reuven Bigio, CEO of GB Group”.
LIFZ, which is located within the integrated economic zone of Lafito Global, offers world class infrastructure to support global manufacturers by providing all of the services necessary to have highly efficient production facilities. Strategically located adjacent to Port Lafito, the most modern and efficient port in Haiti, Lafito Global continues to attract international investors and to further development.
Lafito Industrial Free Zone is a uniquely positioned manufacturing and logistics platform dedicated to offering long-term competitive access to regional markets. All within a safe and autonomous environment, LIFZ has built a tier III data center, a 25 MW power plant that will provide reliable and cost efficient power, and other infrastructure to enable global manufacturers to have all services they are accustomed to at other facilities throughout the world. As Lafito Global expands, it will add residential, commercial and recreation facilities to further enhance the experience for international and local resident alike.
“The entire development of LIFZ including the power plant will transform the manufacturing and investment landscape in Haiti. Having spent the past year in Caracol, I have personally witnessed the growth of the manufacturing sector in Haiti. Lafito is a unique development with its proximity to Port Lafito and complete infrastructure, provides international manufacturing companies a competitive position in Haiti and positions them for easy access to the United States and other important markets. The power plant will provide reliable and cost efficient power to further entice international companies to Haiti. I am excited to be a part of this transformational project in Haiti and continuing the socio-economic development of the region.” said Mr. Charest.
For more information on Lafito Industrial Free Zone and GB Group, please visit http://old.gbgroup.com/our-businesses/infrastructure/lafito-industrial-free-zone.
About GB Group:
GB Group is a leading, diversified group of industrial and trading companies in the Caribbean, with operations concentrated in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Panama and St. Maarten and offices in the United States. Its operations are in the construction, consumer goods, infrastructure, energy, logistics and trading industries. GB Group collaborates with more than 4,000 employees and embraces managers from more than 15 countries companywide. GB Group has strategic alliances and/or partnerships with some of the world’s top business organizations.