IrieSocial, Meet The Team

Meet the team behind IrieSocial, one of Jamaica’s newest startups. IrieSocial is a Daily Deals online site. It was launched in May 2012.

Nigel Powell - Co-Founder IrieSocial

Co-Founder – Nigel Powell
Nigel Powell is Asafa’s brother and business partner. His passions of music and helping youth have led him to teach for over 12 years. Most of his career has been at Charlemont High School, where he has helped build the music department and mentored some of the best musicians in Jamaica. Nigel’s students have reached success in Jamaica and internationally. As Asafa’s business partner, Nigel manages much of his business interests.

Garnette Rose- CEO IrieSocial

CEO – Garnette Rose
Garnette most recently served 8 years in the Toronto Police Service including the Intelligence Department, Criminal Justice Department, and Primary Response Unit PRU. Prior to that Garnette was a top salesman at a North American Fortune 500. In addition to co-founding several startups, Garnette has worked to help rehabilitate and reintegrate youth that have gotten in trouble with the law. Garnette attended The Academy of Learning Business College, The National Institute of Law Enforcement College, and the Ontario Police College.

Asafa Powell - Co-Founder IrieSocial

Co-Founder – Asafa Powell
Asafa Powell is a trendsetter in athletics and business. He holds the world record for the most 100-meter races ran in under 10 seconds, and is the first Jamaican track athlete to train locally and succeed on the international stage. Among his many awards are gold medals from the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Jamaican Trials. As well as co- founding IrieSocial, Asafa operates in real estate and is working on interests in autos and agriculture. With IrieSocial Asafa uses his global brand to showcaseJamaica to the world, helping his country create employment and economic growth while helping Jamaican businesses access the global economy.

Will Pate - COO IrieSocial

COO – Will Pate
Will Pate most recently worked at the World Bank, managing a global partnership to help support technology for international development with Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, HP and NASA. He has served ING Direct, Spencer Trask Collaborative Venture Partners, the Museum of Modern Art, the City of San Jose, Sick Kids Hospital and Aeroplan. In addition, he has advised governments, corporations, NGOs and startups around the world.Will has been an entrepreneur, communicator and community builder since co- founding his first business in elementary school. He also co-hosted and co- produced commandN, one of the highest rated internet shows about technology. Will studied political science and business at the University of Prince Edward Island.

IrieSocial Team

The Team also includes;
General Counsel – Milton Samuda
Mr. Samuda is the President of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, the Managing Partner of Samuda & Johnson where he runs the Firm’s Commercial Department. He is also a Director of the RJR Communications Group, Chairman of Television Jamaica Limited (TVJ), a director of Berger Paints Jamaica Limited, the National Outdoor Advertising Limited, and is Chairman of the Institute of Law and Economics, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Management of the Technology Innovation Centre, University of Technology, Jamaica, a member of the Board of Strategic Corporate Interventions Limited and of the Advisory Board of the Spanish Jamaican Foundation and serves as the Foundation’s Secretary. Mr. Samuda also serves as Chairman of the Wolmer’s Trust and as a member of the Board of Management of the Wolmer’s Trust Schools. Mr. Samuda is a director of OMS Associates Limited, a director of Great House OmniMedia Limited, and a director of Movements Dance Company of Jamaica. Mr. Samuda holds a L.L.B. (Hons.) degree from the University of the West Indies and was admitted to practice in Jamaica in 1982 having completed studies at the Norman Manley Law School.