MEET THE TEAM

Chief Executive Officer

David Stedeford has worked his entire life in the pulp and paper industry with 40+ years of experience.

He has initiated and led countless similar successful projects. Back in 1997, he directed the set up of a similar Greenfield model in Chateau-Thierry, France.

Since then, he has been active across the Globe designing and building operations in the pulp, tissue and envelope sectors predominantly in Europe, the USA and the Middle East.

​

​

​

​

​

President 

Zachary Harding is a well-respected corporate figure, power broker and marketing guru.

​

He has been special advisor to Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism and sits on the boards of Caribbean Airlines and JAMPRO (Jamaica’s Trade & Investment institution). He has served on several other boards, including the Port Authority of Jamaica, the Urban Development Corporation, Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission, and has deputy chaired the Sports and Entertainment Network under the Ministry of Tourism.  He has been CEO or CMO at a few of Jamaica’s most prominent corporate entities and is credited for a few nationally recognized turnaround situations.

​

​

Chief Operating Officer

​Founder, Managing Partner and CEO of the Clearwater Technology Group of consulting businesses and partnerships serving the international Forest Industry sectors.

A senior executive with 40+ years of wide-ranging experience in the pulp, paper, power and related manufacturing industries in all aspects and levels of management, capital projects, and process development & engineering.  Ron has intensive international experience across 4 continents of major pulp & paper capital projects from initial feasibility and due diligence activities through all stages of project delivery. He is an advisor to a major multilateral development finance institution and has previously advised leading technology vendors and multinational paper companies.

​

Chief Financial Officer

Georges Romano is a structured finance professional with 27 years of banking experience covering Latin America and the Caribbean region.

​

During his 9 years at Citi and 18 years at Credit Agricole CIB, Georges launched developed highly profitable franchises in Project Finance and Export Credit & Agency financing, steadily increasing transactional capabilities in bank debt arranging, debt capital markets, and financial advisory services. At Citi, he worked closely with Export Credit Agencies, Development Finance Institutions, and Multilateral Agencies, acquiring expertise in ESG financing spanning environmental finance and social impact investing.

Administrative Executive

Jade Smithers has worked alongside David Stedeford on various projects since 2011.

She concentrates her efforts on coordinating the smooth running of each project from administration to sales and marketing. Jade has held various roles in her career as Sales Ledger Clerk, Sales and Marketing Co-Ordinator, Personal Assistant and Administrative Executive.

Media & Communications Officer

Layla Stedeford is skilled in research, content creation and media engagement.

After graduating with a BA (Hons) in History from Queen Mary University of London in 2016, she assumed the role of radio broadcaster for UR, a Swedish Educational Broadcasting company, while developing her work in research and content creation in parallel. In 2018, she founded Layla-May Creatives, a Content Marketing Agency, in response to the growing demand for her expertise. Layla has experience in writing and distributing press releases, giving interviews to print, radio and broadcast media and actively developing a media network

Supply Chain & Logistics Advisor

Edmond Marsh possesses Industry and Management experience that spans a period of over forty years, across various countries including the United Kingdom, the USA and the Caribbean. Encompassing the following industries: food manufacturing and distribution, management consulting with global consulting firms as well as holding senior positions in the local port authority and financial services group. Edmond currently lectures Supply Chain and Logistics at the University of West Indies Mona.

Supply Chain & Fields Officer

Kirk Raymond is a Jamaican National with 8 years' experience in the forest industry with 6 of those years' working with bamboo. Kirk represented Jamaica in China, at the economic, policy development and scientific seminars for the bamboo industry hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR). Kirk currently supervises the harvesting of bamboo straws as a social intervention program in Golden Spring where he leads a team providing supervision to young men in the community.

Senior Industry Project Advisor

Mr Niku has 40 years experience in the pulp and paper industries worldwide.

This experience includes participation in the preparation of sectoral master plans, corporate strategy, feasibility and DD studies, mill improvement studies, new product development projects, fibre raw material sourcing, market research as well as actual export selling of the products. He has been Team Leader and Project Manager (Pőyry/AFRY) in over 300 feasibility, market and strategic studies. The recent focus has been on Brazil, the MENA region, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, India, China, Asia and Africa. In addition to forest industry companies, he has done much work for EBRD, IFC, AfDB, ADB and private financing organizations. At the moment he is the CEO of Pekka Niku Consulting Ltd. in Finland.

​