New PSPB Appointments Solidify Leadership Strength

New PSPB Appointments Solidify Leadership Strength

Jan 29th 2020
12 : 15 am
The Public Service Pensions Board (PSPB) is starting the new year with a new chairperson. Mrs. Sheree  Ebanks’ appointment became official in November 2019 and she is now leading the Board of Directors for the PSPB during a critical time as the Public Service Pensions Plan has just surpassed $1 Billion USD in assets.
 
“To take on the role of Chairperson now is exciting as the PSPB is going to be making many advancements in the next couple of years that will benefit all plan members,” said Mrs. Ebanks, “and I look forward to working with the Board, the Chief Executive Officer and her administration team during this time.”
 
Mrs. Ebanks is a Caymanian who was appointed to the Public Service Pensions Board of Directors on 6 March 2018 and since her appointment, she has served in the capacity as Chairperson of the PSPB Investment Committee. Mrs. Ebanks is currently the Chief Executive Officer for the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants (CIIPA). 
 
“With the Fund now over $1 Billion USD and continuing to grow, the PSPB needs a very dynamic and capable leader for the Board and Mrs. Ebanks is a demonstrated professional with expertise in many critical areas,” says Mrs. Jewel Evans Lindsey, Chief Executive Officer with the PSPB, “and we are going to appreciate having her leadership and governance oversight as we move forward with new initiatives to better serve our plan members.” 
 
Prior to her current role, Mrs. Ebanks has held various senior management positions at a major bank in the Cayman Islands, is a Board member of the Caribbean Utilities Company and the RBC Royal Bank of Canada (Cayman) Ltd. and has decades long experience in Cayman in the areas of investment management, fiduciary services, operations, marketing and business development. 
 
Mrs. Ebanks worked closely with the Cayman Islands Government in the passing of the Accountants Law and accompanying regulations to ensure compliance with IFAC, the global accountancy body of which CIIPA is a member. This includes ensuring the Cayman Islands is a respected and preferred financial centre through compliance with global standards in areas such as professional development, ethics, quality assurance, auditing and accounting standards as well as anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT).  Mrs. Ebanks was also previously Chairperson of the Board of the University College of the Cayman Islands from 2003 to 2005 and Deputy Chair of the National Roads Authority.
 
Mrs. Ebanks replaces Mr. Kenneth Jefferson, who had served as Board Chairperson since 2004.  Mr. Jefferson will remain on the Board as a Director and continue to provide guidance to the PSPB, especially in the areas of audit, governance and budgeting. 
 
Deputy Governor and Head of the Civil Service, Franz Manderson, in offering congratulations to both Mrs. Ebanks and Mr. Cawdery stated, “I am delighted by these appointments which will further strengthen the PSPB’s ability to oversee our World Class Pension Plan. I thank Mr. Jefferson for his leadership of the Board over the many years. I know his continued presence will be invaluable to the Board”.
 
The PSPB is also welcoming Mr. Simon Cawdery, a Caymanian with extensive experience in the financial services and banking industry, to the Board of Directors. Mr. Cawdery is a Certified Financial Analyst with extensive investment experience and based on that, he is taking on the role of Chairperson of the PSPB Investment Committee, a sub-committee of the Board of Directors.  Mr. Cawdery is known to most in the Cayman Islands as the host of Radio Cayman’s “Money Sense” Thursday morning show and he currently holds leadership roles with both HLX Management and Helix Group in the Cayman Islands.  In addition, Mr. Cawdery is also the Past President of the CFA Society Cayman Islands and the Past President’s Council Representative for the CFA Institute’s Atlantic Islands and Latin American Region.