Thomas Anthony Returns as CEO of Grenada’s Citizenship by Investment Unit
Grenada’s Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) has appointed Thomas Anthony as its new Chief Executive, according to a press release issued today.
Anthony is a seasoned veteran of the Caribbean CBI due diligence domain: From 2013 to 2017, he served under Chisanga Chekwe as Deputy CEO of Antigua & Barbuda’s CIU. In 2017, he joined due diligence firm Exiger to head its new Immigration, Citizenship, and Visa division. He has also been CEO of Grenada’s CIU before: Between 2018 and 2019, he oversaw the introduction of a wide array of program reforms implemented to ensure the program’s integrity.
Since then, Anthony has been an independent consultant in the due diligence sphere. In 2021, he was a Strategic Marketing and Inward Investment Consultant at the Antigua & Barbuda CIU. In 2022, he took on the role of Government Advisory Director with Beyond Residency & Citizenship.
In its press release, the CIU said Anthony would be “accountable for leading and implementing the vision and strategies” of the program, with “due regard for economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in compliance […].”
Karline Purcell, who has been acting CEO since 2021, will now assume the role of Deputy CEO.
Speaking to IMI, Anthony said he was “ecstatic to be the successful candidate and excited to get started,” after what he described as a rigorous recruitment process that had lasted some five months.
Grenada last year saw applications for its CIP more than double and has struggled to keep up with expanding demand. The new CEO is determined not to let his CIU get bogged down by unprocessed files:
"Among the first things on my to-do list, something to get done immediately is addressing the backlog of applications and becoming even more responsive. I see this as another opportunity to be a part of the ongoing work to implement the necessary structural changes to make for a more sustainable program."
Expressing gratitude to the Chairman and CBI Committee for the "confidence reposed in me by this appointment," Anthony said he is "ready to hit the ground running come April 3rd."
See also Thomas Anthony's opinion piece in IMI from December: Caribbean CBI Due Diligence: You Can Take it to The Bank