Latin Trade Group, the leading provider of information and business services to companies operating in Latin America, announced Thursday that the prime minister of Haiti, Laurent Lamothe, will be presented with the Innovative Leader of the Year Award at the 20th anniversary of the BRAVO Business Awards, on November 7 in Miami.

Latin Trade Group explains "As prime minister since 2012, Lamothe along with President Michel Martelly's administration, has helped establish a paradigm shift for Haiti as a destination for investment, rather than simply for humanitarian aid. Lamothe has pursued reforms and policies to make Haiti a safer and more business-friendly country. Key initiatives include offering 15-year tax holidays and tax breaks to companies investing in the island nation, and increasing the police force by 30%.

From 2012 to 2013 foreign direct investment in Haiti increased 25 percent. Global brands have made significant investments in Haiti, including Heineken, Digicel, Viettel, Toms Shoes, Marriott and Carnival Cruise Lines. All of these investments have had a direct impact in boosting job creation, reconstruction and economic growth in Haiti, repositioning it as a country 'open for business'."

"We are thrilled to recognize the tremendous accomplishments of Prime Minister Lamothe, Fabian Gosselin and Miguel Galuccio during the 20th anniversary of the BRAVO Business Awards," declared Maria Lourdes Gallo, executive director of Latin Trade Group. "They [Laurent Lamothe, Miguel Galuccio, CEO of the Year Award and Fabian Gosselin, Dynamic CEO of the Year] round out a group of distinguished leaders who are impacting the region's public and private arenas with their remarkable contributions."

HL/ HaitiLibre