Natasha Edwin Walcott

Area of Expertise:

• Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy, Research, Analysis
• Trade, Finance, Economics, Cooperation, Global

Professional Experience:

Policy Advocacy, Research and Communications Manager
Invest Saint Lucia, Castries, Saint Lucia
June 2015 – February 2019

Managed the Policy Advocacy, Research and Communications unit of Saint Lucia’s Investment Promotion Agency - Direct report for the Research Officer and Communications Officer;

Advocated and developed policies that promote sustainable investment in traditional and new investment areas of strategic interest to the private sector such as manufacturing, niche tourism and infrastructure/ICT

Developed value proposition for the above targeted sectors for investment;

Assisted the CEO in forging strategic partnerships with Government Ministries and other key country promotion and brand agencies high level representatives such as the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (formerly the Tourist Board), Export Saint Lucia and the Citizenship by Investment Unit to agree on the value proposition for Saint Lucia, thereby creating a united front for the promotion of Saint Lucia as the location of choice for investments, visitors and exports;

Member of Brand Saint Lucia Committee constituted by Prime Minister to identify strategic brand direction for the Country;

Led research focus and data collection on impact (capital expenditure and job creation) of investment on Saint Lucian economy using questionnaires and other tools;

Conducted research and market intelligence on investment opportunities to support the lead generation and conversion process to successfully secure a number of investments and development agreements;

Contributed to securing over USD 1 billion in investment including a mixed use development project in tourism sector (Pearl of the Caribbean) and first Artificial Intelligence contact centre in the Caribbean (Ojo Labs);

Implemented a number of survey instruments and campaigns to support lead generation and assess Saint Lucia's investment/business climate;

Project Manager on a national program to strengthen the micro/small business sector ecosystem and encourage private sector development through the introduction of an incubator and accelerator program;

Technical Attachée
Permanent Delegation of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to the United Nations Office in Geneva and other International Organisations in Geneva;
April 2008 – March 2015

Represented six (6) Member States of the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) at the WTO, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC);

Negotiated, advanced and safeguarded the trade and development interests and priorities of the OECS in Geneva;

Monitored and coordinated the implementation of OECS obligations arising out of WTO membership;

Conducted trade policy analysis and related research, needs and capacity building assessments;