Port St. Maarten Group Appoints Alexander Gumbs as CEO

One of the most popular ports in the Caribbean has a new CEO! Longtime cruise and travel industry professional Alexander Gumbs, who previously worked with the Harbor Group of Companies, has been selected to replace former Port of St. Maarten Group CEO Mark Mingo as the top executive at the company. Gumbs is expected to assume the role beginning in September. 

“I do recognize the current economic challenges and the pandemic that we have to operate in as a company. I would like to ensure that we have a great team at Port St. Maarten, and we will be successful in rebuilding our cruise sector and growing the cargo and yachting pillars of the economy … We do recognize the potential challenges of the yachting sector, and in the coming months we will be organizing stakeholder engagements seeking practical and workable solutions to challenges being faced by various segments of our economy,” said Gumbs. 

St. Maarten is one of cruising’s most popular islands with more than 1.5 million cruisers and 565 cruise ship calls in 2019. However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the island lately. 2017 saw Hurricane Irma destroy homes and businesses across the island and the country was just beginning to get back to normal when the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 put a halt to cruising and tourism.

About Alexander Gumbs

Prior to his new role, Gumbs began his career as an intern at the Harbor Group of Companies in 2010 before being named Business Development Officer in 2012. He then elevated to Business and Marketing Manager before leaving the company in 2019 to become the Director of Operations and Development for Carnival Corporation. Educated in the Netherlands, Gumbs holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commercial Economics and a Master’s degree in Management/Leadership with a specialty in Project Management. 

Congratulations, Alexander! We can’t wait to see you on our next cruise to St. Maarten!