Directors

Mr. Ward is currently a Non-Executive Director of Bahamas First General Insurance Company Ltd. He is the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bahamas First Holdings Limited and its principal subsidiary Bahamas First General.

The Bahamas First Group is the country’s largest property and casualty insurance organization with premium writings in excess of $150 million, ranking it in the top tier of companies in the Caribbean Region.

Mr. Ward has held various technical and managerial jobs within the Insurance Industry over the last 25 years, and, over this period of time, he has attended various overseas courses and short-term work secondments to United Kingdom based insurance companies and institutions. He has extensive experience with reinsurance transactions and is recognized in the Caribbean as an industry leader.

Mr. Ward is a proud graduate of St. John’s College and qualified as an Associate and Fellow of the Insurance Institute of Canada in 1987 and 1990, respectively. In 1994 Mr. Ward graduated from the University of Miami Business School Executive MBA program with honors (Beta Gamma Sigma).

He was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the National Insurance Board between 2007 and 2012, and Non-Executive Chairman of the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation between 2017 and 2020. He continues to serve as a Director on various other Civic and Company Boards. He has also assisted the Government of The Bahamas, in various capacities, on matters related to the insurance sector.

He is a past Chairman of The Bahamas Insurance Association and in April of 2005 the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), Bahamas Chapter, nominated him “Boss of The Year 2005/2006.

With over 20 years of proven success in the Insurance industry, Constance Hoo currently holds the position of Vice President, Employee Benefits Administration at Guardian Life Limited, Jamaica, with overall responsibility for the successful leadership of the Employee Benefits Division.

Her insurance career began in 1997 at Dyoll Life, Jamaica as a Provider Relations Officer, then Crown Eagle, First Life and Life of Jamaica, after which she found her sweet spot at Guardian Life Limited.

A Registered Nurse with over 26 years’ experience to her credit in both the private and public sector, including Bustamante Hospital for Children and University of the West Indies, Private Wing, she also holds an Executive MBA from University College of the Caribbean.

Mr. Balkissoon is currently the Group Head of Producer Solutions with Island Heritage Insurance.

Over his 30+ year career in the insurance industry, Roger has held several executive management roles encompassing business development and technical underwriting in Trinidad, Canada and the wider Caribbean.

Mr. Balkissoon holds a B.Sc. in Sociology and Management from The University of the West Indies and is a Fellow of the Canadian Insurance Institute (FCIP). He also serves on the Board of the Cayman Islands Insurance Association.

Randy Graham is currently the CEO of CG United Insurance Ltd. an insurance company which operates in 20 countries across the Caribbean. Mr. Graham is responsible for the strategic vision of the company and is charged with achieving optimum profitability results for shareholders. He has over 250 staff members under his span of care at the company and Randy knows them by first name as he strives to ensure staff are empowered and grow with the company.

He was previously the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in Barbados. He also served as the Director of Insurance and Pensions at FSC, a post that replaced the former Supervisor of Insurance. As CEO, Mr Graham was responsible for much of the setup work for the organisation which is one the first integrated regulatory bodies which was established to regulate and monitor the non-bank financial system, inclusive of the insurance, pensions, credit unions and securities sectors.

Mr. Graham was formally General Manager of Insurance Management and Professional Services (IMPS), a local insurance brokerage firm. He is a trained Risk Manager and also lectures at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill School of Business; the Insurance Institute, and the Credit Union League, in Risk Management, Investment Analysis, Portfolio Management, Managerial Finance, and International Business. He has conducted several insurance related training seminars across the Caribbean and is a highly sought after public speaker.

Mr. Graham graduated Suma Cum Laude from Southwest Missouri State University with a degree in Insurance. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Risk Management from St. John’s University in New York. His awards and scholarships include the Spencer Education Fund Scholarship, St. John’s University Graduate Research Grant, and the Dean’s Distinguish Scholar Award. He was the first person in Barbados to receive the designation of a Barbados Chartered Insurer.

Randy has had several executive leadership roles in organizations and has sat on several Boards as a Director of both local and regional associations.

He is married and he and his wife Maria have one daughter and one son.

General Manager of United Insurance Agents (Saint Lucia) Ltd, agents for Massy United Insurance Ltd in Saint Lucia, Miss Miller has 32 years’ experience in the field of insurance (the first 7 years in Jamaica). She has served on the board of the Insurance Council of Saint Lucia for many years and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Languages & Linguistics, University of the West Indies (UWI), a Masters in Philosophy in Linguistics, UWI, and is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute, London. She carries the designation of Chartered Insurer.

• 35+ years of experience in the Insurance Industry & 15 years on various
  Boards
• Background: Property & Casualty Insurance, Reinsurance and Risk
  Management
• Education: Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute (F.C.I.I.), London, Wharton Advanced Management Programme - Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Mr. Romany is the President of Guardian General Insurance Limited (GGIL) and serves as a Director on multiple boards within Guardian Group and other regional organizations.

He has a background in property and casualty insurance, reinsurance, and risk management with over 35 years of experience in the insurance industry and is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute (FCII).

Mr. Romany’s career began at Guardian Group, where he held several senior positions, including General Manager at Caribbean Home Insurance Company and Vice President of Technical Insurance at Guardian General. From 2004 to 2018, he served in various executive roles at Guardian Group, culminating in his appointment as President in 2018.

In addition to his leadership role at GGIL, Mr. Romany is the President of the Association of Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Companies (ATTIC). He is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Institute (TTII) and serves as a Director on the Board of the Insurance Association of the Caribbean Inc. (IAC).

Melissa De Santos is currently the CEO of Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited, an insurance company which operates in Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenada and its subsidiary Demerara Fire and General Insurance Company Limited.

Her insurance career began in 2012 at Demerara Mutual as the Legal & Compliance Officer. She was subsequently promoted to Manager of Demerara Fire and General Insurance Company in 2014.

Ms. De Santos graduated from BPP University in London with Master of Science degree in Management. She also holds a Master of Law (LLM) in International Business Law from University of Manchester in the UK and a Bachelor of Law from the University of Guyana.

She is the current President of The Insurance Association of Guyana, serves as Director for various Corporate Companies in Guyana and plays and active role in several charitable organizations.

Abel Simpson Sr. first started in the Insurance Industry in 1993; Abel gained extensive experience over the last 27 years in both Life and General Insurance. He assumed management responsibility over the Sales Team for the Belize Branch of Sagicor Life from Feb 2013 to December 2018.

Abel has completed numerous courses in the insurance industry and has been the recipient of many awards both locally and internationally. Abel has achieved awards such as ‘Rookie of the Year’, while simultaneously obtaining the coveted ‘Norman Senior Challenge Award’ in 1999. He has qualified 14 times for membership of the prestigious ‘Million Dollar Round Table’; 6 times at the Court of the Table level.

In May 2016 Guardian Group appointed Abel as Belize’s Principal Representative for Guardian General. He is currently the Managing Director for Simpson’s Insurance Agency Ltd, with its Head Quarters in Belmopan. SIAL currently employs 8 staff members and has a network of 12 agents and one broker representing the Guardian General brand throughout the country.

Prior to his insurance career, Abel served his country as an officer in the Belize Defense Force for 10 ½ years, retiring at the rank of Captain. He believes in giving back to the community through his involvement with the local scout movement and serves as the District Scout Commissioner for the Cayo District.

Abel also enjoys farming and is the owner of Triangle ‘S’ Farm located in the Billy White area, Cayo District which is a 250 Acre Cattle Farm. He finds spending time at the farm to be very therapeutic and adds to his quality of life.

Abel is happily married with his wife and 5 children.

Abel places the interest of his clients first and foremost, thus has been able to grow his agency to a formidable player in the Belize insurance industry. Abel has a passion for the financial welfare of his clients and works diligently to serve their best interests.

Janelle Thompson – CEO & Executive Director, Insurance Association of the Caribbean (IAC)

Janelle Thompson is the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the Insurance Association of the Caribbean, Inc. (IAC), a regional non-profit organization headquartered in Barbados. Since joining the IAC in 2005 as a Marketing and Communications Specialist, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the association’s strategic direction and public image.

In her current leadership role, Ms. Thompson oversees the day-to-day operations of the IAC Secretariat and serves as the primary external representative of the organization. She also chairs the Conference Committee, responsible for organizing the Annual Caribbean Insurance Conference—one of the region’s premier industry events that promotes collaboration, innovation, and professional development within the insurance sector.

In addition to her work with the IAC, Ms. Thompson serves as the Vice Chair of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), where she sits on the Board of Governors. In this capacity, she contributes to the strategic oversight and governance of the Centre as it leads the Caribbean’s response to climate change.

Ms. Thompson holds a Master of Science degree in International Relations from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Sociology and Political Science from the UWI Cave Hill Campus. Her academic background, combined with her extensive experience in marketing, communications, and organizational leadership, has enabled her to bring a fresh outlook and vision to the IAC, particularly in the areas of image building and stakeholder engagement.

Under her guidance, the IAC has expanded its influence across the Caribbean insurance landscape, promoting research, education, and advocacy to support the growth and resilience of the industry.