Our Team

Michel Gantois was appointed President & Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), effective May 31, 2020.

He has extensive international experience in energy and finance, leading companies to expand their assets and revenue, implement commercial and regulatory strategies, build partnerships and optimize their existing operations. Until 2020, he was leading the development of a hydrogen business unit for a listed mining company in Australia. Previously he worked a decade for ENGIE, an international energy company. He was CEO for Australia, Peru and Pakistan; and a CFO for ENGIE in Asia and Director of Finance for ENGIE North America. Prior to joining ENGIE, he was vice president for Kelson Energy, a US private power company.

Michel started his career working with Nobel Peace Prize winning humanitarian organization, Doctors Without Borders, as a Director of Finance and Logistics. He has an MBA from Leuven University in Belgium, and is fluent in English, French, Dutch and Spanish. In his free time, he enjoys adventure sports such as hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing and horse riding.

Vernon Douglas has overall responsibility for JPS’ Finance portfolio, which includes: Corporate Finance, Corporate Accounting, Logistics & Inventory Management, Regulatory & Strategy Administration, and Government and Regulatory Affairs. He has over fifteen (15) years’ experience in financial leadership, business development, process and systems improvement, in countries across the Caribbean, Central America and Europe. He was most recently with the Digicel Group as CFO of Mergers and Acquisitions (Caribbean and Central America). Vernon has a consistent record of delivering results in business performance, helping companies to deliver corporate and operational growth via organic and inorganic methods. He is skilled in tackling a diverse array of business opportunities, including Telecoms, Retail and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs).

Charmaine Heslop-Dacosta has over 15 years’ experience as an Executive with a focus on maximum service delivery and improving critical business outcomes. She has extensive experience in transformation, integration and organization development. Charmaine is recognized as a strategic business partner with the ability to assess situations, craft solutions, build teams, create, organize and implement efficiencies.

Before joining JPS in April 2018, Charmaine was Regional Director Human Resources at Digicel Jamaica Ltd. Prior to that, she was General Manager & Group HRD of Solaris Global Energy, and spent over a decade in the airline industry as VP Human Resources at Jamaica, Air Jamaica Ltd, and Caribbean Airlines Ltd, respectively.

Charmaine is an engaging, stimulating communicator, poised and capable of projecting enthusiasm and warmth, and of motivating other people. She has a strong sense of urgency, initiative and competitive drive to get things done, with emphasis on working with and through people in the process. She understands people well and uses that understanding effectively in influencing and persuading others to act.

Miss Melanie A. Gilchrist, Attorney-at-Law, worked with the Government of Jamaica through the Attorney General’s Chambers for 10 years. She was Deputy Solicitor General for the Commercial Affairs Division of the Attorney General’s Chambers and represented the Government at the CARICOM level and at the International Civil Aviation Authority.

Melanie holds a Certificate of Legal Education from the Norman Manley Law School, a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) (Hons.) from the University of the West Indies (“UWI”) Cave Hill, Barbados, and a Bachelors of Arts Degree (Hons) in History & Political Science UWI, Mona, Jamaica. She also holds a Teachers’ Diploma from the Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College, specializing in English and History and is a former tutor at the Faculty of Law, UWI. She has been a director of the Transport Authority of Jamaica and the Jamaica International Financial Services Authority. She is currently a member of the Jamaican Bar Association, the Commercial Law Sub-Committee and has training as a Mediator through the Dispute Resolution Foundation of Jamaica. Melanie is from the second city of Montego Bay, Jamaica.