Profile: Erica Luke

Erica Luke: Committed to success

Taking the helm of a traditional family-run business certainly has its challenges – especially one with a long and proud history going back over 50 years. Barbados shipping executive, Erica Luke, talks to Caribbean Maritime about how she has built on the past at Eric Hassell Shipping and made the company relevant in a fast-changing world while retaining its reputation for respect and integrity. 

Q. Where were you born and where did you grow up? 

A. I was born in beautiful Barbados. My maternal grandfather, Captain Eric Hassell, was from a seafaring family from Saba, a Dutch Territory. My father was born in Sierra Leone where his Barbadian father, an engineer, was working on a project. Growing up in a Barbadian household with these fused cultural backgrounds made for an interesting home life and shaped my openness to persons from different cultures, which is especially important in the global maritime industry where our Agency may represent a yacht sailing from France or a German research vessel.  

Q. How big an influence were your parents on your early life? 

A. On reflection, both sides of my family were involved in business which made it natural that I would follow that path. Matters related to business and shipping were often discussed in my family. My grandfather started the Eric Hassell Shipping Agency in 1969, after the vessel he captained sunk in 1963. My grandfather transformed his life from that of ship’s captain to business owner. His life story was told in the book ‘A Man called Peace: The story of Eric Hassell and His Enterprise’. His story was one of triumph over adversity. My mother who was a home maker, and her siblings all spent some time working with my grandfather. My father owned a small supermarket close to our home and which is currently being operated by one of my three sisters and her husband. Growing up in an environment where my family was engaged in business, I had the opportunity to observe the highs and the lows, their commitment to succeed and the hard work and dedication involved in running a successful business. When it was my turn to lead the family business as MD, I drew on the many lessons I learnt from my parents and grandparents, their fairness in dealing with staff and customers and their integrity in business. 

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