Phillip Nassief, a prominent figure in Dominica’s economic and social landscape, passed away on April 28th, 2024, leaving behind a legacy of entrepreneurship, generosity, and community spirit. Born on January 8th, 1933, in Roseau to Elias Nassief and Marie Raphael, Phillip was the embodiment of resilience and vision.
APer compleQng his educaQon at presQgious insQtuQons including McGill University in Canada, Phillip returned to Dominica, where he took the helm of his father’s modest rum business and started a soap operaQon which became Dominica Coconut Products Ltd (DCP), Dominica’s leading manufacturing enterprise and a Caribbean success story. Under his leadership, DCP flourished, becoming renowned for its quality products and exemplary management pracQces. Phillip’s commitment to his employees, his community, and the region at large earned him widespread admiraQon and respect.
Phillip’s impact extended beyond the manufacturing industry. In 1989, he led the revitalizaQon of the Fort Young Hotel, transforming it into a cornerstone of Dominica’s tourism industry.
Beyond his business acumen, Phillip was a humanitarian at heart. He spearheaded iniQaQves to upliP his community, including establishing a senior ciQzen’s home and supporQng small businesses through the NaQonal Development FoundaQon (NDFD). His philanthropic endeavors extended even further with the creaQon of the Elias Nassief FoundaQon, dedicated to aiding those in need, parQcularly the elderly.
His dedicaQon to development and ethics earned him numerous accolades including in 1977, Dominica’s highest honor, the Dominica Award of Honor. In 2002, Caricom honored him as one of the Caribbean’s Leading Voices of the 20th Century. And in 2004, he was honored by the American FoundaQon of the University of the West Indies, as “among the luminaries of the past 100 years who have leP their indelible mark on the Caribbean region and the world”.
Phillip Nassief’s passing leaves a void in the hearts of many, but his legacy of innovaQon, compassion, and community empowerment will conQnue to inspire generaQons to come.
He is survived by his children – Yvor, Maroussia and Gregor; his grandchildren – Isabel, Alexander, Victoria, Phillip, Natassjia, Gaston, Sofia and Manuela; his siblings – Annie, Ucief, Rosa and Julieie; and former wife and mother of his children, HaiQan born arQst Gilda Thebaud Mansour.
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