As a child, I was very good at maths and budgeting, and my parents even entrusted me to make the family budget. At secondary school, after I did some research, I realised becoming a chartered accountant greatly appealed to my logical brain.
After my degree in accounting, I worked for seven years across audit and taxation at KPMG, PwC and Grant Thornton, which included one year in the Channel Islands. I moved into the hospitality industry as a financial controller, spending four years in Saint Lucia at Bay Gardens Resorts and three in the British Virgin Islands on Necker Island. I took up a director of finance role last November in the Bahamas.
The Caribbean region is servicing significant public debt and suffering from a brain drain
The main challenges facing the Caribbean region are climate change and the impact of disaster vulnerability. One terrible hurricane season can spell economic and social catastrophe, with adverse effects on economic growth and the depletion of human capital. The region is also servicing significant public debt and suffering from a brain drain.
I believe the wider Caribbean needs to look inward and leverage its natural resources to generate additional revenue and reduce reliance on public debt. There should be focus on projects that allow the region to become more self-sufficient and sustainable, such as improving agricultural exports, reducing the food import bill, fostering regional partnerships and better harnessing of natural resources. These are viable long-term goals with the right discipline and allocation of resources. If debt must be accessed, the Caribbean should tap into concessional finance but be aware of the strict conditions usually attached to these funds.
I stepped out of my comfort zone, when I became the financial controller at a resort in Saint Lucia. There were three properties in the portfolio and I had never worked in hospitality finance, apart from auditing a major hotel client. I was incredibly busy learning the hospitality industry, but I kept working hard and grew immensely during my tenure.
This is my favourite mantra: ‘If you’re going to do something, do it well.’ I find it hard to tolerate work below my own standards of excellence.
Teaching and imparting knowledge in a relatable manner has always been important to me
What I enjoy most about my job is mentoring my team and junior team members. I also like explaining the numbers and budgets to my non-finance managerial colleagues. Teaching and imparting knowledge in a relatable manner has always been important to me.
My biggest achievement is becoming an accomplished professional but remaining true to my humanity. I always build rapport with team members by taking a genuine interest in their work and wellness, which ultimately helps to foster high performance. I strongly believe that titles come and go but your humanity should remain.
If I had law-making powers, I would have financial literacy as part of the high school curriculum. Students would learn about budgeting, investing and debt. These are practical concepts that will build a solid foundation for a healthy financial future.
If I wasn’t in finance, I would have liked to have been an interpreter at the United Nations. Foreign languages have always excited me, and I pursued French and Spanish up to college level, teaching them for a year before going to university.
In my own time I enjoy fitness and I play tennis, go hiking and attend a gym. Prioritising physical and mental health are important to me. I also love travelling. Two of my favourite memories were taking the Aiguille du Midi, the highest cable car in the French Alps, and a hot-air balloon ride in Marrakech, which had excellent views of the Atlas Mountains.
