Shane Thomas

Shane A. Thomas, born in Barbados and married to Angela from Scotland. Has an Honours Degree in Tourism Management from the University of the West of Scotland. As a proud Barbadian Shane developed business links in Scotland to foster closer ties with Barbados and Scotland. It was from this passion that he was able to establish Barbados as the first Caribbean Island to have its own official tartan named the Island of Barbados tartan which is officially registered on the role of tartans in Scotland.

In 2014 Shane started his own business Barbados House Ltd with the aim of developing business links between Scotland and Barbados. At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, he was invited by the Cultural department of Glasgow to represent Barbados at Emancipation Day and to make a presentation. Further to this he also represented Barbados at the Edinburgh Festival in 2015 to showcase food and drink of the island.

As a member of the Renfrewshire Business Network Shane opened the opportunity for Tourism and Business relations between the two countries and collaborated with Jo Smith, the President of the Renfrewshire Business Network to host the first trade and investment mission to Barbados from Scotland in 2020 however the global pandemic delayed this from materializing, the mission was eventually held virtually in November 2020 which then led to a physical mission to Barbados in November 2021. The success of the mission has encouraged the hosting of another mission in November 2022.

Shane continues to look for opportunities to represent and showcase Barbados as the place to Invest, work, live and play. He is a member of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, and the London Chamber of Commerce.

Shane also has a passion for helping where possible any fundraising to assist Barbados. In 2019 he led a fundraiser for musical equipment for the Barbados Youth Orchestra which was successful in raising £5,000.00.

Shane being from the island which is the birthplace of rum has a very keen passion to see the island as known for world class rum in the Scotland market. He is a Rummelier which is like that of a Sommelier in Wine education. Shane used his time during the pandemic to connect with rum aficionados and encouraged the first Rummelier conference in Barbados in November 2021 led by Founder and President of the Royal Rum Society, Mr Greg Hill. The conference was a huge success and there will be another conference in Barbados in October 2022.

Shane’s dream is to see the expansion of business investment from Scotland to Barbados in the areas of Renewable Energy, Medical Tourism and Sports Tourism as well as develop direct trading links with the creation of a shipping line between Scotland and Barbados.