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Charmaine Donovan, CEO of the CIU

By Editor July 8, 2026 Updated: July 8, 2026 No Comments（https://thecitizenantiguabarbuda.com/charmaine-donovan-ceo-of-the-ciu/#respond） 7 Mins Read

What has been the biggest change for Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Programme over the past year?

If there is one certainty in the investment migration industry, it is that change is inevitable. The sector is dynamic by nature, shaped by shifting geopolitical realities, evolving international compliance standards and the ever-changing expectations of a discerning global clientele.

In the case of Antigua & Barbuda, the architects of our programme demonstrated considerable foresight in embedding comprehensive controls from the outset. Those controls have not only stood the test of time but continue to prove both relevant and instrumental to the programme’s sustained success. The most significant change experienced by the Antigua & Barbuda programme, however, is the regional alignment of requirements across Caribbean CBI jurisdictions, driven by the establishment of a dedicated regional regulator. This is not unfamiliar territory for the Caribbean. Our region has long benefited from harmonised regulatory frameworks, with the uniform Banking Act and Insurance Act serving as longstanding examples of what collective governance can achieve.

Our region has long benefited from harmonised regulatory frameworks, with the uniform Banking Act and Insurance Act serving as longstanding examples of what collective governance can achieve.

The expectation is that the investment migration industry will derive similar benefits as the regional regulator commences full operations, bringing greater consistency, credibility and long-term confidence across all participating programmes, with Antigua & Barbuda well-positioned to embrace that shift.

CIS26 seemed to come at a pivotal moment for the Caribbean CBI industry. What was your own main takeaway from the summit?

It is a particular pleasure to witness the evolution of this summit. What began as the Invest Caribbean Conference in Antigua & Barbuda in 2016, a vision of our Prime Minister, the Honourable Gaston A. Browne, was always intended to be a roving conference, with each regional programme taking its turn as host. Credit is due to Open Interactive for expanding the conference’s reach and profile while faithfully preserving that original intent.

This year’s edition, successfully hosted by St Lucia, was a testament to where the region now stands. Across the presentations and discussions, a clear and consistent theme emerged: each programme’s commitment to meaningful, corrective change. Equally evident was the collective resolve to ensure that these programmes continue to serve as genuine engines of economic development for our individual nations. That message was delivered with clarity and conviction, reinforcing that the path forward is not one of retreat, but of strengthening and refining what we have built, with full regard for the expressed concerns of our international partners.

Antigua & Barbuda received recognition at CIS26 for processing integrity and governance, innovation excellence and family mobility. What did those awards mean to you?

We are truly elated to have received these awards and extend our sincere gratitude to the organisers of the summit and to the broader industry for this recognition.

For us as programme operators, these accolades carry a significance that goes beyond the awards themselves. Recognition in processing integrity and governance affirms that the standards we have held ourselves to are being seen and valued by our peers. In an industry where credibility is everything, that matters greatly.

The innovation excellence award reflects our deliberate commitment to modernising the programme experience without compromising on compliance, while the family mobility recognition reminds us that at its core, citizenship by investment is about people. It is about families seeking security, opportunity and a future worth investing in.

The innovation excellence award reflects our deliberate commitment to modernising the programme experience without compromising on compliance, while the family mobility recognition reminds us that at its core, citizenship by investment is about people.

To be acknowledged in that area affirms that Antigua & Barbuda understands and takes seriously the human dimension of what we offer. Collectively, these awards speak to the direction of the programme. They signal that Antigua & Barbuda is evolving with intention and continuing to earn the confidence of our partners and the respect of the industry.

There has been a lot of discussion recently about Caribbean CBI programmes entering a more mature phase. Do you think that is a fair description?

It was Bruce Tuckman who first proposed the theory of the four stages of group development, and the framework remains remarkably applicable to the evolution we have witnessed across Caribbean Citizenship by Investment programmes in recent decades.