An Antiguan finance professional living 7,000 miles from home in Kenya has been honoured with a rare appointment to one of the world’s most prestigious bodies.
Robert Belle, from Casssada Gardens, swapped island life for the fast pace of Nairobi in 2010.
His company, Smip Consultancy, offers everything from accounting services to tax consultation and financial management.
Belle was recently named a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants’ (ACCA) Global SME Forum. The appointment is by invitation only and an opportunity comes just once every 10 years.
The forum helps promote the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the global economy, representing more than 15 countries and a wide range of professional backgrounds.
Belle is also winner of the 2019 Advocate of the Year (Affiliate) in Kenya and sits on the African nation’s ACCA National Advisory Council.
Belle flies the flag for his homeland as a transformational speaker and author too – and says he is on a “mission to help individuals who feel inferior and have given up on their dreams to think freely, create unapologetically and live abundantly”.
He helps people who feel stuck in their career or life journey to find new paths and recently released his first, critically-acclaimed book, ‘Blow The Lid Off! Reclaim Your Stolen Creativity, Increase Your Income and Let Your Light Shine’.
“I am very honoured and humbled to have the work that I do with SMEs, mentorship of men and contribution to uplift society be recognised,” he told Observer.
“I am truly grateful to God for His blessings on my life and I am proud to represent Antigua and Barbuda everywhere I go.”