Business Barbados Uses Data and Design to Drive a Major Transformation

Barbados’ corporate registry is going through the biggest shake-up in its history, and officials say the changes run far deeper than a new name.

The Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO) has officially become Business Barbados, a rebrand Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Business Kevin Hunte describes as “a full organisational overhaul guided by data, design, and direct feedback from the business community.”

Speaking at a stakeholder town-hall meeting at The Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC), Hunte emphasised that the transformation is not simply cosmetic.

“Transformation is not just changing the name,” he told participants. “It is re-engineering processes, service delivery, and the way we think about our customers. We are building something new while fixing an existing flying plane.”

The agency has already revised staffing structures, introduced additional training, and increased approval levels to tackle a persistent backlog of business-name registrations and other filings. Walk-in traffic has surged: July saw 1,378 customers, and by August the figure had climbed to 1,541. Business-name registrations rose from 344 to 376 over the same period.

“These numbers matter,” Hunte said. “Knowing our volumes and what customers are coming for allows us to redeploy resources and serve people in a timely manner.”

Technology Overhaul in Two Phases

Much of the backlog stems from an aging digital system. Business Barbados is taking a dual-track approach: shoring up the current platform for short-term relief while developing an entirely new online registration system.

“We’re enhancing the present system even as we build a brand-new one,” Hunte explained. “When we cut over, it will be seamless for the public.”

The private sector is being asked to help “stress-test” the new platform before launch. “We want businesses to try to break it, to tell us what works and what doesn’t. Your feedback will shape the final product,” he told the audience.

Purpose-Built Headquarters by 2026

Technology isn’t the only upgrade. By the end of the first quarter of 2026, Business Barbados expects to relocate to a purpose-built headquarters designed to reduce wait times and improve customer comfort.

Architects are mapping customer flow, creating dedicated areas for quick transactions and private consultations, and integrating more self-service kiosks.

A National Economic Goal

Officials view the transformation as critical to improving Barbados’ ease-of-doing-business ranking and attracting investment.

“Top-class service delivery depends on all of us,” Hunte said. “This is not government versus private sector—it’s a partnership for the betterment of Barbados.”

With new data-driven processes, a modern digital platform, and a facility tailored for efficiency, Business Barbados aims to position the island as a regional model for fast, reliable business registration and intellectual-property services.

As Hunte puts it, “Our goal is to make Barbados known for service excellence—and we are well on our way.”