Ladesa James-Williams has taken up her appointment as CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Director, Retail Sales OECS and Country Head, Antigua.
She is the first Antigua-born woman to attain this position.
She is a product of public school education, having attended Bolans Primary School, Antigua Girls High School and Antigua State College, followed by studies at UWI St Augustine where she obtained a double degree in Chemistry and Management.
She began her career in banking in 2001 with her employment at Barclays Bank PLC as a management trainee and worked in Retail and Personal Banking in Antigua, Corporate Banking in St Kitts, Human Resources in Barbados, and International Wealth Department in The Bahamas.
James-Williams also completed assignments as Corporate Manager in Antigua; Senior Corporate Manager in Barbados; Country Manager of St Kitts & Nevis and most recently as Director, South EC having responsibility for Grenada and St Vincent and Country Head St Lucia.
She serves as Trustee on CIBC FirstCaribbean’s ComTrust Foundation which manages the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility activities focusing on Youth & Education; Health & Wellness and the Community and Environment. She is also a Director of the Eastern Caribbean Automated Clearing House Services Incorporated and also serves on the Salvation Army Advisory Board St Lucia.
She is the immediate Past President of the Bankers Association in St Lucia and was recently appointed Director on the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra Board.
Under her leadership FirstCaribbean International Bank St Lucia was awarded Bank of the Year 2019 for Customer Service by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.
She was the recipient of the Antigua & Barbuda National Young Professional of The Year Award 2012 and is a recent graduate of FirstCaribbean Senior Leadership Development Programme through Harvard Business School.
James-Williams is a sports fanatic, a self-professed foodie and mother to 5 year old son Zane and 10-month-old daughter Zary.
Her personal motto is “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.
The bank’s Managing Director, Donna Wellington congratulated James-Williams and noted that “Ladesa has a passion for developing people, nurturing client relationships and giving back through social corporate responsibility initiatives. Under her leadership the St Lucia business was recently awarded Bank of the Year for Customer Service by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. We wish Ladesa continued success as she provides strategic leadership to driving growth and efficiencies in line with our overall strategic mandate.”
