The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has agreed to recommend Sir David Harrison as Chairman of The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus Council and, additionally, as Chairman of the Campus Endowment Fund.

According to Cabinet, the recommendation reflects Sir David’s exceptional record of leadership in business, philanthropy and education, as well as his longstanding commitment to creating opportunities for young people in Antigua and Barbuda and beyond.

Sir David is one of the United Kingdom’s leading entrepreneurs, bringing more than four decades of business experience to the roles. He currently serves as Chairman of Newcastle-based financial technology and financial services company True Potential LLP, one of the UK’s fastest-growing firms in the sector. He previously founded Positive Solutions, which grew to become the largest financial advisory firm in the United Kingdom.

Beyond his success in business, Sir David has earned recognition as a passionate advocate for education and social mobility. Through the Harrison Foundation and the Harrison Centres for Social Mobility, he has invested heavily in programmes aimed at supporting disadvantaged youth and expanding access to education and employment opportunities.

Several Harrison Centres have been established across the United Kingdom, while the first overseas Harrison Centre was launched in Antigua and Barbuda, reflecting Sir David’s deep connection to the country and his commitment to its development.

Cabinet also acknowledged Sir David’s extraordinary generosity to Antigua and Barbuda, particularly his support for educational and youth development initiatives and his substantial financial contributions to programmes designed to empower young people. Recent reports have highlighted his commitment to investing millions of pounds to support social mobility and educational advancement in the country.

In recognition of his contributions to business, education and social mobility, Sir David was conferred with the Knight Grand Cross of The Most Distinguished Order of the Nation by Antigua and Barbuda in 2022.

Cabinet expressed confidence that Sir David’s vast experience, visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to education will help propel the UWI Five Islands Campus to even greater heights as it continues to expand its role as the premier tertiary institution serving Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Established in 2019 as The UWI’s fifth landed campus, UWI Five Islands was created to broaden access to higher education across the Eastern Caribbean and has since become a cornerstone of the Government’s vision for human capital development and regional leadership in education.

Cabinet believes that Sir David Harrison’s stewardship of both the Campus Council and the Endowment Fund will strengthen the institution’s governance, enhance fundraising efforts and accelerate the realization of a bold and transformative vision for higher education in Antigua and Barbuda.