Mackie Holder has been appointed Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Mia Mottley

Holder has assumed responsibility for coordinating the work of the office of the Prime Minister, supporting strategic policy implementation across government, and strengthening communication and engagement with citizens.

He brings to the post extensive experience in diplomacy, public service, communications, and political strategy. He most recently served as Deputy High Commissioner at the Barbados High Commission in London, a role he took up in January 2024, with primary responsibility for diaspora affairs and engagement with Barbadian communities across the United Kingdom.

Prior to his assignment in London, he served for approximately five years as Consul General of Barbados in New York, where he worked closely with the Barbadian diaspora throughout the United States and represented Barbados in a range of consular, cultural, and promotional initiatives.

Consul General in New York Mackie Holder.

Over the course of his career, Holder has held senior positions in both the public and private sectors and has been widely recognised as an accomplished marketing and public-relations professional.

In the public service, he was Hansard Editor and also worked closely with three prime ministers. His professional background also includes speechwriting, communications consulting, political organising, publishing, cultural production, and event management.

He has also served as a political strategist in Barbados, St Kitts, St Lucia, and Bermuda.

Deeply involved in Barbadian culture, Holder has for roughly two decades produced the Wednesday 2000 Crop-Over band, earning awards for a number of its presentations.

He is the author of the poetry collection Tears of the Heart, has written plays and songs, and has conceptualised or edited several magazines and cultural publications, contributing significantly to the preservation and promotion of Barbadian artistic expression.

Holder holds a Master’s degree in Communications from the University of Wales, is an alumnus of Harrison College and has been the recipient of Pride of Barbados Award and the Gold Trident of Excellence.

His appointment as Chief of Staff reflects the government’s continued commitment to drawing on experienced Barbadian professionals to support effective governance, deepen citizen and diaspora engagement, and advance Barbados’ national development agenda.

(PR)