Xavier Blackman

Chief Operating Officer

Xavier is an exemplary executive with 38 years of diverse experience across the public and private sectors. His extensive career has spanned multiple countries, including the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and the Caribbean, in industries such as advisory services, banking, consultancy, energy, finance, telecoms, and utilities.

Xavier studied Economic Sciences at both the Universiteit van Amsterdam and the Open Universiteit, supplemented by advanced training in securities and commerce. His career commenced at Kas Bank N.V. where he excelled as a Relationship and Portfolio Manager for large national and international institutional investors.

As the Head of the Department of Finance and Economic Affairs and Acting Island Secretary of the island territory of Saba, he simultaneously served as policy advisor to the Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs. He further distinguished himself as State Secretary of Finance, representing Saba in the National Government of the Netherlands Antilles. He held memberships on the Supervisory Board of Directors of the Antillean Pension Fund (APNA) and Saba Bank Petroleum Resources NV.

Xavier served as Junior Minister of Finance for the Antillean Government from 2003-2004. During his tenure in the St. Martin Government, he served as Commissioner of Finance, HRM, and ICT, recognised today as the Minister of Finance, from 2009 to 2010. He also served as Economic Advisor to the Government of St. Eustatius and Interim Head of the Department of Finance, negotiating a significant US$500 million expansion of the NuStar Oil Terminal. In May 2012, he was appointed Chief Advisor to the Minister of Finance of Sint Maarten, the Honourable Roland Tuitt, contributing to major achievements including facilitating a US$32 million loan for the Princess Juliana International Airport.

As of May 2024, he serves as Personal Advisor to MP Honourable Grisha Heyliger-Marten, Member and Chairlady of the Parliament of St. Martin, in her role as Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunication.

In the private sector, Xavier served as Associate Director of Advisory Services at KPMG Dutch Caribbean from 2007-2009 and was a board member of the Sint Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Since 2007, he has been the Managing Director of GILGEN Consulting B.V., providing consultancy services throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. He was also the Co-founder and Director of Dibrotech International Holding, Inc., a VOIP provider. He is fluent in English and possesses a modest command of French, German, and Papiamento.

Xavier held influential positions within the governments of the Netherlands Antilles and Sint Maarten/St. Martin, spearheading impactful projects that have contributed to the growth and development of these regions.