Andrew Gioannetti
DIANNE Joseph, president of the TT Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI), has made her intentions clear: her time at the helm will be deliberate and finite.
Joseph, elected on May 3, intends to serve a single three-year term, during which she plans to solidify TTCSI’s foundations and prepare others to assume the mantle.
“Leadership is about creating opportunities for others,” she said.
Joseph spoke with Business Day at the TTCSI’s Woodbrook office on November 19, amidst Services Week, TTCSI’s annual celebration of the services sector, first celebrated in 2008.
Her presidency marks the peak of a longstanding association with TTCSI, an organisation she played a key role in establishing in 2006.
>
Joseph was crucial in shaping the TTCSI’s governance structure at its first annual general meeting in 2007.
She joined the board as treasurer in 2009 and later served as secretary and vice-president.
“My journey with TTCSI started from the beginning. Each role prepared me for this presidency, especially in governance and advocacy.”
Joseph’s extensive experience in the credit union movement complemented her work at TTCSI. As chief operating officer of the Co-operative Credit Union League of TT since 2014, she has overseen advocacy and operations for a sector with 700,000 members and assets exceeding $19 billion.
She said this background honed her organisational planning and management skills, which she has applied to her leadership at TTCSI.
“The credit union movement taught me a lot about working with people and understanding their needs,” she said, adding that the experience shaped her approach to advocacy and capacity-building.
“Governance and building capacity are my strengths, and I’ve worked to ensure that organisations I’m part of achieve long-term sustainability.”
Joseph told Business Day she had set targets for the first year or less and has already enhanced TTCSI’s internal structures in her first six months.
She has also led initiatives to improve administrative efficiency, hiring an operations officer and introducing currently outsourced functions like social media management and accounting in-house.
>
“These steps may seem small, but they are transformative for how the organisation functions day-to-day,” she said.
Joseph has also introduced revenue-generating activities to reduce reliance on government subventions. “Membership fees (ranging from $600-$4,500) don’t cover our needs,” she said, adding that discussions are ongoing with the Ministry of Trade to increase funding.
Led by the CEO Daren Lee Sing, she said the organisation has been looking at creative ways to diversify income streams, from events to strategic partnerships.
She said the goal for the TTCSI is financial independence.
Joseph acknowledged the job on her hands isn’t simple. She was frank about the services sector’s challenges, particularly crime, foreign exchange shortages, and resource gaps for small businesses.
“For many entrepreneurs, the foreign exchange shortage is like another covid,” she said, adding that it has negatively affected employment and economic stability.
Crime, she observed, has forced many small businesses to close early because of safety concerns.
“Small businesses are especially vulnerable.”
>
The TTCSI is housed a stone’s throw away from Pappy’s, a small but popular fast food restaurant on O’Connor Street that recently announced earlier closing times because of escalating crime.
Joseph warned of the long-term consequences of neglecting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“If smaller businesses can’t grow, it will impact employment and stability, potentially leading to social issues like crime,” she said.
Her plans include bridging the resource gap for SMEs by providing support in areas like business planning and navigating government programmes.
“We want to give small business owners the tools and confidence to expand,” she explained.
Joseph also addressed the importance of service culture in TT.
“We need to prioritise service at all levels,” she said. “It’s about building a culture of excellence that starts from within.”
Many of the country’s major service providers would do well to “go back to their roots” and focus on improving customer service.
Her remarks were particularly striking given this reporter’s experience with a rude encounter at TTCSI’s office before the interview. The incident, though isolated, seemingly lent credence to the very challenges in service delivery that Joseph lamented.
>
“Even in our own organisation, we have to constantly work on improving how we serve each other and the public. It’s a continuous effort,” she acknowledged.
Her immediate goals include expanding TTCSI’s membership from 82 to over 100 and establish a presence in Tobago.
“We’re the TT Coalition, but we currently have no member in Tobago. That will change early next year,” she promised.
The TTCSI is working on collaborating with like-minded regional coalitions and engaging with embassies to create export opportunities for local service providers.
“Our role is to shape and prepare organisations for export success,” Joseph explained.
“Services are the backbone of our economy and they hold untapped potential. We need to advocate for them more effectively.”
Beyond TTCSI, Joseph’s leadership points to a broader trend of women excelling in TT’s business community, associations and non-governmental organisations. She noted the ambition driving women to do advanced degrees and a wider range of professional opportunities.
“Women are equipping themselves to take markets. The determination and energy I see in women leaders today are inspiring. They’re not just entering the room – they’re transforming it,” she said.
“In my business classes, typically only about five of 40- 45 students are men.This dynamic shows how women are embracing leadership opportunities with an urgency that’s reshaping industries.”
>
Joseph’s said her vision for TTCSI extends beyond her term. She hopes to depart her role from an organisation capable of helping its members achieve higher standards and greater competitiveness.
“When organisations are strong, they can uplift entire sectors.
“When I leave, I want TTCSI to be on a solid footing, with a stronger presence locally and internationally.”
Leadership, she added, is about creating a legacy of empowerment.
“When my time is up, I’ll be there to mentor and support, watching others succeed and feeling proud.”
