An accomplished entrepreneur, civic leader, and author, Daniel-Gérard Rouzier T’86 recently published a book, Memoirs of a Madman, that explores Haiti’s complex history.
The book, Rouzier’s fifth, is informed by his decades of experience as a business and philanthropic leader in Haiti. This includes his work as founder and chairman of the Board at E-Power, an independent power producer that supplies approximately 15 percent of all electricity consumed in Port-au-Prince, and as pro bono chairman of the board for Food for the Poor – Haiti which provides food, housing, health care, education, and spiritual support to vulnerable communities across the country.
In the following Q&A, Rouzier shares more about his new book as well as the successes and challenges he has faced as an entrepreneur and civic leader in Haiti.
What inspired you to write a book about Haiti’s history, and what do you hope readers will take away from it?
Haiti did not become the most chaotic capharnaum of the Western Hemisphere by accident. Its gradual destruction is the result of deliberate choices—made by its elites and by global powers—over two centuries of calculated neglect, cynical alliances, and broken dreams.
When I set out to write this book, my aim was simple: to return to the most credible historical sources in order to understand—and help others understand—how we arrived at such a tragic crossroads.
To reflect on Haiti in the 21st century is to confront the West’s own reflection. Haiti is not merely the first Black republic born of a slave revolt; it is the original crack in the edifice of colonial modernity. I was compelled by an urgent need to remind the world that Haiti, long before others, dared to universalize the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity—not as lofty principles, but as actions forged in blood, in earth, and in unyielding will.
My hope is that readers will come to see Haiti not as a forgotten periphery, but as a precursor—both a warning and a promise. The Haitian Revolution is not a relic. It is a prophecy. And whether we continue to sideline its legacy—or finally choose to absorb its lessons into our collective memory—will shape the moral arc of our future.
How did your Tuck experience influence your decision to launch your first business, Sun Auto S.A., and later E-Power, Haiti’s first private-sector power generation project?
Tuck, like any crucible of elite formation, is not merely a place of instruction, it is a space where ambition is measured against responsibility. What I took from that experience was not just financial acumen, but a deeper conviction: that true leadership lies in choosing the most challenging path and attempting to transform it with clarity and humility.
Launching Sun Auto—and later E-Power—was never a decision born of comfort. It was a wager: that the private sector, when animated by purpose rather than predation, could help mend the torn fabric of a broken society. Tuck gave me the grammar. Haiti gave me a blank page.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a business leader? How have you overcome them?
In Haiti, contrary to popular belief, the greatest challenge is not corruption or instability—though both are pervasive. The true test is pessimism: the deeply rooted belief that nothing can ever change. When fatalism becomes a national philosophy, leadership ceases to be a position and becomes an act of resistance.
I did not overcome this alone. I built coalitions of the willing—people of integrity, at every level, ready to act in the present as if the future still mattered. I drew strength not from charisma, but from systems: governance, transparency, and collective accountability.
In what ways have you seen Haiti change over the past three decades, and what role do you think business leaders can play in its future?
Haiti has changed in paradoxical ways: materially depleted, yet spiritually resilient. Its elite has become more globalized, yet less rooted. Its people more connected to the world, yet increasingly left behind. What has remained constant is the irrepressible energy of its youth—an untapped wealth.
Business leaders must go beyond the transactional. They must become stewards of the public good—investing not only in infrastructure but in education, civic trust, and ecological sustainability. In a fragile nation, every private act carries public consequence. The future belongs to those who understand that.
What advice would you offer aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders who want to make a meaningful impact in emerging markets?
Do not romanticize the “emerging market.” There is nothing poetic about hunger, chaos, or institutional failure. But neither should you underestimate the power of disciplined imagination.
Start by listening. Understand the history—its violence, its poetry, its scars. Then build not only to profit, but to endure. Design your venture as if it must one day serve your grandchildren, not just your shareholders.
And remember: In uncertain lands, it is not always the strongest who thrives, but the most aligned—in vision, values, and execution.
Daniel-Gérard Rouzier T’86 is founder and chairman of the board of E-Power, which he launched in 2011 as Haiti’s first private-sector power generation project. He also founded and chairs SunAuto, the official distributor of Hyundai, Honda, and General Motors vehicles in Haiti.
Beyond his business ventures, Mr. Rouzier has also served for 26 years as pro bono chairman of the board of trustees for Food for the Poor – Haiti and has held leadership roles in numerous financial and civic institutions in Haiti. He has published five books: Vision ou Illusion (2000), Le Pouvoir des Idées (2002), Croire, Aimer et Espérer (2006), Praxis (2015), and Mémoires d’un Fou (2024)
Create a profile to learn more about Tuck and receive news and updates
