As part of the 2026 staging of the Barita Investments Limited Skills Optimisation Challenge V2, contestants were given the opportunity to engage directly with senior leadership during an interactive “Meet the CEO” session.

The session brought together 16 participants from the University of the West Indies and the University of Technology, Jamaica, and formed part of the competition’s broader developmental programme aimed at exposing students to real-world corporate leadership and innovation.

Chief Executive Officer of Barita Investments Limited, Ramon Small-Ferguson, encouraged the students to recognise their value and potential, reminding them that their selection for the competition reflected their excellence and capabilities. He urged participants not to view themselves as too young, but instead to embrace the opportunities ahead and the contributions they are already capable of making.

Small-Ferguson also stressed the importance of preparation, professionalism, and persistence, encouraging contestants to remain resilient in the face of challenges and confident in their ability to shape their own future.

The discussion offered practical insights into leadership, personal development, decision-making, and the need for adaptability within an increasingly dynamic corporate environment.

The engagement comes at a critical stage of the competition as participants prepare to present their final project solutions. This year’s challenge focuses on the use of Artificial Intelligence to simulate real-world decision-making within the financial services sector. Contestants were tasked with developing innovative solutions designed to assist clients, advisors, and risk managers in assessing profiles, making informed decisions, and improving efficiency, effectiveness, and risk management practices.

The challenge also encourages participants to explore how technology can help organisations better meet customer needs while strengthening service delivery and operational excellence.

The “Meet the CEO” session reinforced one of the central objectives of the Skills Optimisation Challenge, bridging academic talent with practical corporate insight while preparing the next generation of professionals for increasingly AI-driven workplaces.

As the competition progresses, organisers say they are eager to see how participants transform their ideas into impactful solutions capable of shaping the future of business and financial services.