Barbados has taken a bold step toward building a stronger, more business-friendly future with the creation of Business Barbados — a modern, customer-first, national agency reengineered from the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO). Its mission is simple but transformative: to make it easier to start, maintain, grow and protect a business in Barbados, whether local, regional, or global.

Barbados has always been a hub for global business, attracting companies from around the world based on our competitive tax structures, strong talent pool, international travel links and high standard of living. Innovating to be a smart hub is a part of the constant evolution of being a jurisdiction of choice.

Business Barbados is playing its part in ensuring Barbados is the smart hub local and global businesses need to succeed. In today’s world where business is built on technology, moving our companies and intellectual property registries into a digital space is the right move to make. Building on evolving technology, making use of AI and data to drive customer focused interventions/solutions, we are changing the way we offer services, providing a more streamlined experience with us. In 2026, we expect to see significant change, improving turnaround times and providing omnichannel access for our customers to carry out business.

For years, our predecessor, CAIPO, was known primarily as a companies’ registry, often constrained by slow, manual processes and administrative backlogs. The Government of Barbados has heard the concerns of the business community and responded decisively. Business Barbados is not a rebrand, but a complete transformation — one that expands its mandate to include investment support, regulatory improvement, and business advocacy as part of the Government’s broader modernisation agenda.

This transformation also aligns with global realities. As the world adjusts to new international tax frameworks such as the Global Minimum Tax, Barbados must compete more on efficiency, transparency, and the overall ease of doing business. Business Barbados is designed to deliver that competitive edge.

We are also proud to announce the establishment of the Business Barbados Intellectual Property Office (BBIPO) — the Intellectual Property sub-brand of the agency. BBIPO is charged with fostering a culture of innovation and creativity while ensuring that the rights of creators and innovators are recognised and protected. It will oversee the protection and administration of intellectual property rights, including patents, geographical indications, industrial designs, trademarks, and copyright.

Equally important, BBIPO will help businesses identify, secure, and commercialise their intellectual property assets through education and outreach. It will also manage IP enforcement and disputes, working with law enforcement agencies and facilitating mediation and arbitration for IP-related conflicts. In this way, BBIPO becomes a key driver of innovation-led growth.

Business Barbados also plays a pivotal coordinating role within the wider economic ecosystem. Invest Barbados attracts and facilitates new investment to the island, while Export Barbados promotes Barbadian products and services to the world. Business Barbados bridges these two — streamlining the processes and regulatory touchpoints that make it easier for business to be done, and done well, in Barbados.

Finally, it’s worth noting that Business Barbados, the agency, is distinct from Business Barbados, the magazine. The magazine, under publisher Keith Miller, has for over 25 years highlighted Barbados as an ideal investment destination. The agency complements that legacy by making the business environment it promotes even more accessible and responsive.

As its inaugural Chair, my vision for Business Barbados is to embed a culture of service excellence, collaboration, consistency and continuous improvement. Big change begins by getting the simple things right — and doing them well. Together, we can deliver on Brand Barbados: efficient, trusted, and globally competitive.