CINEX Hosts 2026 Stakeholders Meeting, Bringing Together Public and Private Sector Leaders to Align Strategy and Seize Opportunity
CINEX Hosts 2026 Stakeholders Meeting, Bringing Together Public and Private Sector Leaders to Align Strategy and Seize Opportunity
Strategy, opportunity and the future of Curaçao’s economy converge at CINEX’s annual stakeholder gathering in Willemstad.
Willemstad, Curaçao — Demand to attend this year’s CINEX Stakeholders Meeting was so high that the event required a two-room setup; a telling sign of the growing appetite among Curaçao’s business and government community for strategic direction. Held on Thursday, March 26 at Youmeet Curaçao in Scharloo, the annual gathering brought together public and private sector leaders under the theme Aligning Strategy, Seizing Opportunity, with presentations rotating live between both rooms so that every attendee experienced each speaker in person.
CEO Mr. Miles Mercera set the tone by placing Curaçao’s economic agenda within the context of shifting global dynamics. He emphasized that the global economy is undergoing structural change, with supply chains becoming more regional, capital flows repositioning, and companies increasingly selecting jurisdictions based on stability, trust, and execution capacity.
Within this context, he highlighted that Curaçao holds clear strategic advantages but that these must now be translated into tangible outcomes.
CINEX, he noted, has over the past year repositioned itself from a promotional agency into an execution platform focused on building a structured investment pipeline, advancing export sectors, and strengthening Curaçao’s connection to international markets.
The 2026 agenda reflects this shift, with a focus on economic diversification, development of the digital economy through the Onchain Island initiative, the establishment of the Curaçao Innovation Hub, and a targeted international engagement calendar as part of the blue wave sports diplomacy activations.
CINEX also shared that the global economy is reorganizing, supply chains are becoming more regional, capital is moving, and companies are choosing locations based on trust and stability, not just cost. Curaçao has the fundamentals to be part of that shift, but opportunity does not convert by itself. It requires execution. Over the past year, we have repositioned CINEX from a promotional agency to an execution platform focused on building a real investment pipeline, developing export sectors, and connecting Curaçao to international markets. The focus for 2026 is clear: fewer concepts, more delivery and ensuring that Curaçao is not just present in global conversations, but actively capturing opportunities from them. Miles Mercera, CEO, CINEX
Mr. Remy Ricardo, Interim Director of Fundashon Marshe, introduced United in Play; premium FIFA World Cup 2026 watch parties at Curaçao’s cultural markets, designed to channel the global sporting moment into direct economic benefit for local entrepreneurs. Events are projected to draw up to 2,750 attendees per fixture, with expansion planned through CONCACAF 2028.
Mr. Patrick Newton, Interim Director of 2BAYS Curaçao, outlined a transformative plan for the former Isla refinery and Bullen Bay oil terminal. Rather than seeking a new refinery operator, 2BAYS is pivoting toward a sustainable industrial port, spanning green energy, port logistics, circular industry and food production with the ambition to create jobs, attract investment and remediate decades of environmental legacy across 683 hectares.
Mr. Stefan Riezebos, Senior Advisor Economic Policy at the Representation of the Netherlands, rounded out the programme by presenting concrete Kingdom instruments available to Curaçao’s private sector. These include the BMKB-ACS credit guarantee, offering SMEs up to €1.5 million in collateral support through July 2027 and a suite of RVO export subsidies covering market entry, business partner matchmaking and feasibility studies of up to €200,000 through the Dutch Caribbean Partnership Programme.
Taken together, the afternoon painted a picture of a jurisdiction gaining confidence and momentum. CINEX’s role as a connector, bridging local entrepreneurs, international investors and Kingdom resources, has never been more clearly defined, and the 2026 agenda makes plain that Curaçao intends to make its mark.