John Hadad
John Hadad is a Trinidadian entrepreneur, business leader, nature advocate, and tourism innovator whose work has contributed to the economic and environmental landscape of Trinidad and Tobago..
As co-founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of HADCO, he has spent more than three decades building one of the Caribbean’s most successful and diversified business enterprises, with operations spanning distribution in both the food and beverage and electrical and lighting sectors, as well as manufacturing, logistics, retail, recycling and hospitality.
Alongside his business interests, John is a passionate champion of Trinidad and Tobago’s natural and cultural heritage. An avid hiker and nature enthusiast, he has spent many years exploring Trinidad’s forests, wetlands and coastlines, while promoting the value of its extraordinary biodiversity.
A seasoned traveler, he saw Trinidad’s untapped ecotourism potential as he compared its offerings with his own experiences in other countries. With this knowledge, he championed the creation of HADCO Experiences and has helped develop innovative tourism initiatives that connect visitors with Trinidad and Tobago’s birds, wildlife, culture and communities; while demonstrating how conservation and sustainable tourism can support local livelihoods and economic development.
John is a strong advocate for the idea that protecting natural assets and investing in people are essential components of long-term prosperity. His work reflects a commitment to building partnerships among businesses, conservation organizations, government agencies, and local communities to create opportunities that benefit both people and nature.
Through his leadership, vision, and deep love for Trinidad and Tobago, John continues to inspire new ways of harnessing the country’s natural advantages for conservation, tourism, and sustainable development.
Title: The Evolution of Value – HADCO, Regenerative Tourism, and the Future of Caribbean Enterprise
Abstract:
John Hadad, Group Co-CEO of HADCO Group, presents HADCO Experiences and the evolution of a family-built business through the lens of HADCO’s journey from enterprise-building to destination stewardship. From its beginnings in distribution to its growth across manufacturing, logistics, recycling, services, and hospitality. He highlights that biodiversity, culture, community, and place are no longer peripheral to economic development but central to it. HADCO has always built around practical need. Today, through Asa Wright Nature Centre, Mt. Plaisir Estate Hotel and Pawi Lodge, that instinct is being applied to living landscapes: forests, communities, species, heritage and place. John makes the case that the future of Caribbean business will not be measured only by what it owns, but by what it strengthens.