Gilbert Bigio, founder of GB Group and Texaco operator, dies at 91

Haitian businessman Gilbert Bigio, founder and former president of the GB Group conglomerate and majority owner of Texaco operations in the Dominican Republic, died Tuesday, September 29, in Florida at the age of 91, according to people close to his family.

His funeral is scheduled for Thursday, October 1, in Hollywood, Florida.

Bigio was a prominent figure in Haiti’s business community. He founded GB Group in 1972, building a diversified conglomerate with investments in sectors including energy, fuel, construction, agriculture, food, steel and logistics.

His business activities extended across the Caribbean. In 2012, GB Group acquired Chevron-Texaco’s fuel marketing and distribution operations in the Dominican Republic, as well as operations in Jamaica and St. Maarten. The transaction included a network of more than 200 service stations operating under the Texaco brand.

Bigio began his business career in 1957, when he became a partner in a small department store. Over the following decades, he expanded his activities into multiple industries and Caribbean markets.

His death marks the passing of one of Haiti’s longstanding business figures, whose companies developed a significant presence in the fuel and energy sector, including in the Dominican Republic.