The Board of Barita Investments Limited (“Barita” or the “Company”) has advised of the following executive leadership changes (subject to regulatory review) in keeping with the Company’s succession planning programme as well as certain proposed organisational changes.
Effective March 1, 2024, Mr. Dane Brodber, who has been the Interim Chief Executive Officer for Barita since May 7, 2022, will relinquish his current role and Mr. Ramon Small-Ferguson will take over as the Chief Executive Officer for Barita, while retaining the role of Managing Director of Barita Unit Trusts Management Company Limited. Mr. Brodber will act as Chief Executive Officer of Barita’s sister company, Cornerstone Trust & Merchant Bank Limited and will assume leadership responsibility for the financial holding company to be established within the Cornerstone group of companies pursuant to a pending reorganization of the Group in order to comply with the requirements of the Banking Services Act, 2014.
Mr. Small-Ferguson, who is currently the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Barita and Managing Director of Barita Unit Trusts Management Company Limited, joined Barita as Vice President, Asset Management & research in April 2019 and has held several other progressive roles during his tenure before his current appointment. He has extensive experience in financial services across the areas of investment banking, portfolio & treasury and corporate strategy. Prior to joining Barita, Ramon was the Chief Investment Strategist and Head of Research at the investment banking arm of the Jamaica National Group. Ramon holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA), and Financial Risk Manager (FRM) professional designations. He also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Finance & Marketing (Hons.) from the University of Technology, Jamaica and is a graduate of New York University’s (NYU) Stern Business School where he pursued a Master of Science (MSc) in Quantitative Management.
Mr. Dane Brodber, prior to his appointment as Interim CEO of Barita held the position of Chief Risk Officer of the Cornerstone Group and had oversight responsibility for the risk function of Cornerstone and its subsidiaries, inclusive of the Barita group, having joined the Cornerstone Group in November of 2019. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, with expertise in risk management, strategy, business intelligence and financial analysis. Dane previously served as Regional Director, Market Risk Management with Scotiabank where he worked for over 12 years. Dane earned undergraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Economics & Business from Lafayette College and an MBA from the University of New Orleans. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA), and the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) professional designations.
The Chairman and Board welcome Ramon to his new position and extend their appreciation to Dane for his invaluable leadership during his tenure as Interim CEO and wishes him all the best in his new role.