Chris Williams will be stepping down as CEO of the investment house he co-founded, Proven in January of next year and will turn his attention to creating a private sector entity to promote foreign investment in Jamaica.

It will be called SPARK FDI.

He has already submitted his plans to Minister of Commerce and Industry Senator Aubyn Hill and the Head of JAMPRO, Shullette Cox. 

This new vehicle will be headquartered in New York and Williams has already begun recruiting personnel including a CEO. It will market all the attractive capital investment opportunities in Jamaica to accredited investors. 

SPARK FDI will be directing investment opportunities to: 

• JSE securities
• Mutual funds
• Real estate
• Private placements

Williams explained that when an institution is selected, funds will be transferred directly to the financial institution selected by the accredited investor.

The experienced banker wrote: “It is time the relationship between Jamaica and our amazing diaspora expand beyond visits, barrels, food parties, remittances. Jamaican capital investment opportunities are now safe, liquid, easily convertible to US dollars and most importantly return on investment is attractive.

Williams carved a reputation as one of Jamaica’s most dynamic investment bankers first at DB&G before going on to Head NCB Capital Markets. He then went on to take an equity position at Proven as well as serving as its CEO for fifteen years. This saw him in a unique position as both part owner and senior executive in what morphed into an investment house based in Jamaica with operations across the Caribbean.

It must be made clear here that this new iteration of Williams does not see him heading a fund or new financial institution. He will very much remain a part of Proven. SPARK FDI will be an investment promotion agency, essentially a marketing company. 

With Williams’ expertise and charisma, he would be the right fit to head a substantial Caribbean venture capital fund that could breathe life into many Caribbean businesses. Perhaps that may figure in his plans for the future. 

He is a Jamaica College alum. His mantra is “capital and competence”. He holds an Honours degree in accounting from UWI and an MBA from York University in Toronto, Canada.

Williams has served on the Boards of Jampro, Jamaica College Foundation, the Branson Centre of the Caribbean, the Usain Bolt Foundation and Access Financial Services. He is currently Chairman of Professional Football Jamaica Limited.