Mr. Michael Dean
CEOSince 2012, he has served as the Vice-President of Investment Fund Services Department of Equity Bank Bahamas Limited. He was accepted as a Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (1987) and the Bahamas Association of Compliance Officers (2005). Mr. Dean began his career with over ten (10) years in audit, accounting and internal control expertise in the financial services arena in The Bahamas, with Deloitte & Touché and later Ernst & Young, including stints in the Caymans. He later served as Chief Financial Officer for the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Bahamas (CIBC Bahamas Ltd.), assisting with transitioning from a branch network of the Canadian Parent to a publicly traded company on The Bahamian Stock Exchange (BISX). Prior to joining Equity, he spent the previous fifteen (15) years in Swiss private banking, primarily in The Bahamas, with periods in Geneva, Switzerland. During this time, he has served in numerous capacities including Chief Financial Officer, Risk Manager, Senior Official II (reporting to the Central Bank), Vice President of Investments, Operations and Accounting dept., Compliance and Money Laundering Reporting & Prevention Officer for this boutique Swiss institution. He is a 1984 graduate of the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. He is active in the community in the areas of youth development, sports and social outreach.
Mr. Dillon Dean
Co-ChairmanMr. Dean has held executive roles within the financial services industry since the beginning of his career in 1992 having worked in London, Guernsey, and The Bahamas. A Certified Public Accountant, he is a former member of the Minnesota State Board of Accountancy and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (TEP). Mr. Dean also holds the Personal Financial Planning and Personal Trust Diplomas from the Institute of Canadian Bankers and has served on the boards on several licensed financial institutions. He was most recently the Centre Director of the Scotia Private Client Group in The Bahamas. He is the Group CEO of the Equity Group of Companies, inclusive of Equity Bank Bahamas Limited and Liongate Bahamas Limited, and is the former CEO of Liongate Bahamas.
Ms. Ivylyn Cassar
Co-ChairmanMs. Cassar currently holds the post of Chairman of Equity Bank Bahamas Limited. She is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (TEP) and holds the Series 7 designation. Prior to joining the Equity Group, she was the Managing Director of Leopold Joseph (Bahamas) Limited. Ms. Cassar is a past Director of The Bahamas Association of Securities Dealers, past Director of The Bahamas Financial Services Board, past Director of the Association of International Banks and Trust Companies, past Vice Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and past Director of The Bahamas Trade Commission. She is also a Justice of the Peace in The Bahamas.
Mrs. Kim Thompson
Non-Executive DirectorPrior to joining the Equity Group, Mrs. Thompson served as President and Director of Offshore Managers Limited, Nassau, Bahamas. She holds a Master of Arts Degree with a concentration in Counseling and a Master of Arts degree in Human Resources Management. She is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (TEP) having successfully passed courses such as International Trust Management, Trust Administration and Accounts, Trust Creation: Law & Practice, Company Law, and Trustee Investment and Financial Appraisal. She recently acquired graduate courses at Nova Southeastern University in Conflict Resolution & Analysis and currently serves as Director & Corporate Secretary, Senior Officer II and Head of Office Administration of Equity Bank Bahamas Limited.
Mr. Michael Clare
Head of Digital Assets and Fintech OperationsWith an extensive background in economics and finance, Michael Clare has obtained his Bachelor’s Degree (BSc.) in Finance from Lenoir Rhyne University. To further his financial knowledge, Clare went on to obtain his MBA with a focus of Economics and Finance at Beijing Normal University located in Beijing, China. Additionally, to advance his knowledge in blockchain technology, Michael Clare has obtained a second Master’s degree (MSc.) in Digital Currency and Blockchain technology from the University of Nicosia located in Nicosia, Cyprus making him the first and only Bahamian to possess a masters degree in the space. Through his strong advocacy and accomplishments in the space, Michael Clare has been selected as the Regional Ambassador for the Bahamas within the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC).Michael Clare was also selected as one of the Top 48 Millennials of the Bahamas for the year 2021. Michael Clare has an array of consultative experience amongst financial institutions in relation to blockchain technology and digital assets. Prior to joining Liongate Bahamas Ltd. Michael Clare served as an Economist at the Ministry of Finance for 6 years.
Mr. Delphino Gilbert Cassar (Gil)
Head of Business Development & FinTech of Equity GroupMr. Cassar has a strong background in finance, software and crypto assets and has an expansive knowledge of the financial and corporate services product suite. His career has touched on the fields of stock market analysis, asset management, trusts and estate planning, investment funds, administration and accounting, multi-currency private banking, FinTech and corporate services. He is also a full stack web developer having successfully developed solutions for the banking, shipping, airline, FinTech and media industries, and has worked on software projects involving blockchain, machine learning and A.I. development. Currently, Gil serves as Head of Business Development & FinTech for the Equity Group of Companies, as Vice-President of The Bahamas Investments and Securities Business Association, and is a member of the FinTech Working Group of The Bahamas Financial Services Board. He holds degrees from the University of Toronto and Harvard University.
Mr.Christopher Burgos
Vice President, AccountsChristopher Burgos, Vice-President - Accounts: Mr. Burgos is a Certified Public Account (AICPA 2007), has a Series 6 certification (mutual funds) and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He has 14 years of experience in Client Accounting, Investment Funds and Banking. Mr. Burgos is a meticulous, analytic and result oriented Finance and Accounting professional with extensive experience in Corporate Accounting and Finance, Periodic Budgeting and Forecasting, Government Report Compliance and Management Reporting, Fund Accounting and Private Banking. Chris exhibits strong team working and multi-tasking skills and has over 11 years of experience in the financial and banking aspects of the financial services industry in The Bahamas.
Mr. Sebastian Curry
Assistant Vice-President, Information TechnologyMr. Curry has over 20 years’ experience in the I.T. and financial sector. He is a long-standing member of the NACHA organization for which he created many applications allowing for safe and efficient money transfer. Mr. Curry has developed banking applications for many banks in The Bahamas and recently developed and implemented the first Bahamian E-Commerce with affiliated partner, Suncash. He also assisted the Central Bank of The Bahamas with its Sand Dollar project and created a Swiss based data center and software solution that meets the GDPR, and FDAP compliance standards. Sebastian is currently the Service Administrator of SWIFT and has implemented several SWIFT network infrastructures. Mr. Curry assisted in the setup of DLT for crypto currency and an ICO (Initial Coin Offering) and is experienced in the management and operations of payment systems such as: Cross Border Payment, Supply Chain Payment, Real Time Remittance P2P, SWIFT—ACH, Regulated Custody of Hard & Digital Assets and Accountancy, Segregated Payment Gateway via VISA-MASTERCARD-AMEX-DISCOVERY and private card label solutions.
Ms. Robyn Newton
Compliance Officer / Money Laundering Reporting OfficerRobyn Newton is a regulatory compliance professional with over eight (8) years of experience in financial services and regulation with over five (5) years at a securities and investment funds regulator. She is experienced in overseeing the compliance function for a number of financial sectors, which include private banking, trust, investment fund administration, corporate services, and asset management. Robyn possesses sound knowledge of bank and trust, securities, corporate service providers, anti-money laundering and investment fund legislation. She has also received training in AML/CTF/CPF, risk management, fintech regulation, securities and investments, and corporate governance. Robyn received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Banking and Finance from the College of The Bahamas (now University of The Bahamas), and an International Executive Master of Business Administration from the University of International Business and Economics, in Beijing, China. Robyn also gained In-depth knowledge of securities products through her completion of FINRA’s Series 7 exam. She has successfully completed the international diplomas in Anti-Money Laundering, and Governance, Risk, and Compliance offered by the International Compliance Association (ICA) and is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and Certified AML Fintech Associate (CAFCA).
Ms. Shari Quant
Assistant Vice President Internal, Legal and RiskMs. Quant is a Licensed Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and AML certified (MICA) holding approximately a decade of financial industry experience with a solid foundation in international client services. Professionally qualified in Corporate Law & Administration with special training in financial services regulation and securities products, CRS/FATCA. Experienced Trust, Investment Fund Services, and Private Banking professional with analytical, multi-tasking and investigative skills who has had the opportunity to work under the tutelage of seasoned attorneys-at-law as a legal assistant. She is most recognized for thorough legal reviews, international tax reporting projects and policy writing. Possesses quality proficiency and experience with private wealth management structures, relationship management, enterprise risk management, risk assessments, corporate governance, corporate secretarial duties, international and domestic tax reporting for financial accounts (CRS, FATCA, QI, CESRA, ROBO). Possesses membership with The International Compliance Association (ICA) whereby she is currently pursuing a certification in Governance, Risk and Compliance and a certification in AML FinTech Compliance (CAFCA) with The Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS).