Rolph Balgobin – Executive Chairman of the Quicksilver Group
Rolph Balgobin is executive chairman of the Quicksilver Group, which owns subsidiary companies operating in the sectors of energy, education, property, professional services and manufacturing and trades all over the world. He also holds directorships of several other companies and social enterprises.
Career History
Dr Balgobin was formerly the chairman of companies including CL Financial, Angostura Limited, Home Construction Limited, Caribbean Dockyard Services and Caribbean Petrochemical Manufacturing, as well as a director of the Massy Group. He has also been president of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA), served on the ratings committee of CARICRIS, been a chairman of the Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Company (PLIPDECO) and been a director of the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT), the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT), and Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago (YBTT).
At the time of his appointment as the NGC Distinguished Fellow in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Dr Balgobin was one of the youngest business school deans in the world as head of the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (at the University of the West Indies).
Education
Dr Balgobin holds advanced degrees from the University of the West Indies and postgraduate degrees from Manchester University and the University of Cambridge. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in corporate governance from the ACCA and a certificate and diploma in corporate governance from the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute. Dr Balgobin currently serves on the Finance Council of the Catholic Church, Archdiocese of the Port of Spain, and is chair of the Real Estate Committee, which governs all the church’s landholdings.
Research
Research published by Dr Balgobin as books or in academic journals includes Influencing Development – Leadership and Governance in Trinidad and Tobago (2012), Board Characteristics and Effective Corporate Governance – a Caribbean View (2008), Global Governance Practice: The Impact of Measures Taken to Restore Trust in Corporate Governance Practice Internationally (2008) and Ten Lessons: A Story of Turnaround and a New Philosophy of Organizations (2005).
National Service
In the sphere of national service, Dr Balgobin was formerly an independent senator in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’s parliament. Here, he chaired the Joint Select Committee on National Security and served on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Public Accounts Enterprises Committee (PAEC). He also led the technical team that developed the Vision 2020 National Strategic Plan for Trinidad and Tobago.
To relax, Dr Balgobin enjoys playing football and cricket, reading and practicing karate. He has been married for 25 years and has three children.