Jamaican entrepreneur and founder of itel International, Yoni Epstein, 44, has been named the 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year recipient of the Anthony N. Sabga Award for Caribbean Excellence, the Caribbean’s most prestigious corporate award. Itel is the region’s largest homegrown Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Customer Experience company. The announcement of his award will be made on February 20, 2024 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and the award will be presented at a gala ceremony in Barbados in May 2024. Epstein is one of five recipients selected by the award’s Regional Eminent Persons Committee.
Recognized for contributions to customer experience
Entrepreneur Epstein is the founding chairman and CEO of itel and one of the 50 most influential business leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean. He is known for his focus on developing future-proof businesses and working for impact beyond profit. The award recognizes his efforts in transforming the perception of customer experience providers in the Caribbean. Epstein founded the company in 2012 with seven staff members. Ten years later, the company operates in seven countries and has 7,000 members. The brand is known for evolving from a local success to an internationally influential company. Epstein’s commitment to talent development continues throughout his two decades in the customer support industry, and his company is centered on the core values ​​of quality, honesty, reliability, and family. Aside from itel, Epstein also founded the 4Ys Foundation in 2019, a non-profit organization that supports sports, education, innovation, and the environment.
Reaction to Epstein’s award
Commenting on the award, Epstein said he was honoured to receive it, adding that it was particularly meaningful to be recognised by leaders “from my home region” for his work in showing the world the potential the Caribbean has to offer in a globally competitive environment.
Awards and Achievements
Itel has received over 15 industry awards and Epstein was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Nearshore Americas and “One of the Most Influential Business Process Outsourcing Leaders in the Nearshore Region” in 2016. He has been instrumental in growing the Caribbean economy through his active engagement with the business community. He was the founding president of the Jamaica Business Process Industry Association (now called the Jamaica Global Services Sector Association) and is past chair of the five-year Global Services Sector Project, which focuses on improving the skills of business talent. He is chairman of CarRental8.com and a member of the board of directors of JAMPRO.
Anthony N. Sabuga Award
Epstein is one of five recipients of the award at a ceremony in Barbados in May. The Anthony N. Sabga Award was established in 2005. The award is administered by the ANSA McAL Foundation, the charitable arm of the ANSA McAL Group. To date, 57 Caribbean individuals have been recognized for their achievements. Epstein is the 13th person to receive the award.
