By Danissa Walker, Walkers Events
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries worldwide, St. Maarten is poised to adopt technology innovation to drive productivity and growth. Computech – a leading technology solutions provider – is hosting a highly anticipated Computech Data and AI Tour: Leading in the era of AI – a conference dedicated to exploring AI’s potential, its impact on businesses, government and the larger community.
We sat down with Computech managing partners Jean Arnell and Alain Roper to discuss the company’s role in delivering AI solutions and what attendees can expect from this ground-breaking event.
Computech has been around for 25 years, where are you today?
Indeed, in those years we’ve navigated many incremental technology changes from PC, Server, Internet, Mobile, Cloud and now AI era. We’ve remained grounded on our mission to enable our clients to align their business objectives to their technology investments by driving digital transformation, which derive measurable business outcomes in terms of how they engage their customers, empower their employees, optimize operations and transform business and government service delivery with data. We’ve grown from two founders back in 2000 to a much larger team of certified analysts, developers, engineers and architects. We partner with industry leaders such as Microsoft, DELL, HPE and Fortinet to bring the best of the latest innovations to St. Maarten.
What is your approach to enabling your customers to adopt Data and AI?
In recent years, we conducted a briefing series on the advent of the 4th industrial revolution or industry 4.0 and the digital transformation imperative which spurred a great deal of interests in big data and connected devices IOT. Today, there is unprecedented interests in all areas of AI, and the investment required to modernize data estates and adopt Artificial Intelligence. At Computech, we are making significant investments in our Data & AI across all our solution areas to help our clients move from interest to action to value, and with clear business cases.
Can you tell us about the Computech Data and AI Tour and why it’s an important event for St. Maarten?
Absolutely. The Computech Data and AI Tour is a one-day conference for Business and Government decision makers, Technology leaders and Policymakers to Learn, Connect and Explore how AI is transforming productivity and driving growth. As AI becomes more integrated into everyday life, it’s crucial to educate and empower our community with knowledge on data-driven decision-making, automation, and AI-driven business solutions. The objective is to ensure that local businesses and government are well-equipped to harness AI’s potential for growth and efficiency.
What are some of the key topics that will be covered during the conference?
The Data and AI Tour will feature a dense agenda: Microsoft Developer Advocate Marlene will deliver an innovative keynote on the Agentic Era. NAGICO GROUP Chairman Inram Mc Sood and Holiday Institute President Eugene Holiday will headline a panel discussion on Leading in the era of AI drawing on the 40+ years of Executive experience and their most recent work on the Business and Governance impact of Data and AI. Alain Roper will lead a live demonstration on Building AI Agents based on real world use cases. Additionally, participants will be able to engage in discussions and live demonstrations with Computech and Microsoft experts on Business applications & AI, Cloud infrastructure for AI, Data Analytics for the era of AI and Modern work with Microsoft Copilot. We are also hosting interactive workshops to provide hands-on experience in AI-powered tools that can drive business success. Participants will be invited to post event trainings and workshops to accelerate and drive technology adoption at scale.
AI is often seen as a disruptive technology; how can businesses in St. Maarten embrace AI rather than fear it?
That’s a great question. AI should be seen as an enabler rather than a replacement. It enhances efficiency, automates repetitive tasks, and allows professionals to focus on high-value activities. Businesses that adopt AI will gain a competitive advantage by optimizing operations, improving customer experiences, and making more informed decisions at speed. Our raison d’etre at Computech is to accompany business and government on their technology adoption journey through trainings, architecture and design sessions, proof of concepts and custom solution development on Microsoft platform.
Can you share some success stories or case studies where Computech has implemented data and AI solutions effectively?
Over the past two years, many customers on St. Maarten have adopted Microsoft Copilot Generative AI tools to increase productivity in M365. Several customers have also embarked on journeys to modernize their data estates to Microsoft Fabric – Intelligent data platform for the era of AI. Others are migrating to hybrid IT infrastructures to leverage Microsoft Azure for AI capabilities. Most significantly, all our customers have listed AI-Powered Cyber security solutions as a priority for 2025. On a broader scale, we’re collaborating with governments on AI Proof of concepts related to Traffic, Intelligent Transport System, Taxpayer journey and a few more key initiatives.
How do you see the future of AI in St. Maarten and the wider Caribbean region?
The future is incredibly promising providing we adopt technology for Productivity and Growth. Per the world economic forum: Big data, Internet of things, AI/ML, Blockchain and Cybersecurity represent the most significant drivers of change over the next decade. Therefore, with the right investments in Training, (cloud) Infrastructure, Modernizing our Data estates, and (data) Legislation, St. Maarten can become a leading technology-driven economy in the Caribbean. AI can revolutionize how we operate in key sectors, from Smart City initiatives to Sustainable Tourism. However, collaboration between businesses, government agencies, and educational institutions is essential to ensure a smooth transition into an AI-powered future. Jamaica, for example, established a National AI Task Force two years ago and launched an AI Healthcare lab with IDB; these initiatives are driving the conversation, use cases, adoption and legislative proposals.
How can people attend or participate in the Computech Data and AI Tour?
The conference will be held at the JW Marriott in Dawn Beach on Tuesday, March 11. This is an invitation-only event and participants are required to register to attend. This is a unique opportunity to Learn, Connect and Explore with Computech, Microsoft and Industry experts on leadership and technology. For more information, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thank you for your time. We look forward to an insightful and impactful event!
Thank you! We’re excited to bring the latest innovations in AI to St. Maarten and the region with Computech Data and AI tour.
