ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Prominent Dominican businessman Phillip Nassief died at his home in Mahaut, west of here, on Sunday. He was 91 years old.
The cause of his death was not disclosed.
In 1977, Nassief was awarded the island’s highest honor, the Dominica Award of Honor. In 2002, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping named him one of the Caribbean’s leading voices of the 20th century.
In 2004, the American Foundation of the University of the West Indies honored Phillip as “among the luminaries of the past 100 years who have left their indelible mark on the Caribbean region and the world.”
Nassief, one of nine children of Elias Nassief, an immigrant Lebanese businessman, and his wife Marie Raphael, will be best remembered for establishing Dominica Coconut Products Ltd (DCP), which produced the regionally famous Bess, Bomber, and Refresh brands. In 1995, DCP was sold to Colgate-Palmolive.
In November 2015, Colgate-Palmolive closed the DCP plant. However, in 2018, Phillip’s son Ivor initiated the family’s acquisition of DCP and its return to production.
The chemical engineer in 1989 bought the struggling Fort Young Hotel that now forms the anchor of GEMS, the family’s hotel enterprises, managed by Phillip’s son Gregor.
Phillip’s legacy extends far beyond his business ventures. His contribution to the Dominican community is marked by his establishment of the National Development Foundation (NDFD) in 1981. The NDFD provided loans and technical assistance to small businesses, fostering entrepreneurship and economic development. 1995, under Phillip’s initiative, the Elias Nassief Foundation was established, a charitable trust fund for low-income families, demonstrating his commitment to social welfare.
Phillip was married to the Haitian-born artist Gilda Thebaud. Their union produces three children: Ivor, Gregor, and Maroussia.
and then 