The Path to Innovation: Emerson John Charles on Creating Change

Emerson John Charles discusses his journey from Belmont Boys Secondary (now St. Francis Boys College) to becoming an advocate for fitness, community development, and innovation. He credits his secondary school teacher, Mr. Albert King, for inspiring his development.
Emerson reflects positively on his school experience and maintains strong connections with his peers through a WhatsApp group.
Despite the stigma of the Belmont community, Emerson has found it to be a source of pride and personal growth. He is now an innovation expert, holding multiple leadership roles and stressing the importance of systematic innovation management. He outlines the five steps to developing an idea and emphasizes the need for an ‘army of design thinkers’ to address various problems across different sectors.
Lastly, Emerson advocates for creating a national innovation agency and innovation centers to boost Trinidad and Tobago’s competitiveness in global indices.