CEO First Day 1: New Chief Executive Officer of CIBC FirstCaribbean Colette Delaney greets the first customer into the Broad Street branch in Bridgetown, Barbados yesterday with a warm smile and token of appreciation. CEO First Day 2: Chief Executive Officer Colette Delaney (left) is joined by Branch Manager of the Broad Street Branch, Karen Sheafe-Bynoe (next to her) as she addresses branch staff on her first day on the job as CEO. CEO First Day 3: New Chief Executive Officer of CIBC FirstCaribbean chats with Warrens Branch client and Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport Kerrie Symmonds while Donna Wellington, Managing Director Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean joins in.
Colette Delaney, the first female to occupy the CEO’s chair at the bank, spent her first day on the job visiting two important groups of the bank’s stakeholders – clients and employees.
Ms. Delaney visited two of the bank’s branches in Barbados, where she is based – Broad Street in Bridgetown and the Warrens branch, a stone’s throw away from her office at the bank’s headquarters in Michael Mansoor Building.
Of her plans for the bank, Ms. Delaney noted: “I want this to be the bank that offers the best Employee experience and the best Client experience – because I believe the two go hand-in-hand.”
Ms. Delaney added that, under her watch, CIBC FirstCaribbean will continue to deepen its client relationships by offering clients a modern banking experience with access to the latest digital products. She noted that the bank is actively working on improving its clients’ banking experience by simplifying the way it interacts with its clients.
She also noted: “We are creating an environment where all employees are able to develop and excel – I mean this in every sense. The level of trust and respect we build with each other and with our clients is what will make the difference.”
Ms. Delaney joined CIBC FirstCaribbean in 2013, and amongst other roles she has served as the Bank’s Chief Risk and Administrative Officer. She was appointed Chief Operating Officer with effect from 8th December 2017 and is a member of the board of CIBC FirstCaribbean.
Ms. Delaney is a banking professional of over thirty years' experience, having begun her career with CIBC in 1987, and previously with National Westminster Bank plc. She holds a Master of Arts degree from St. Anne's College, University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, an MBA from Cass Business School in London, and received the designation of Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in the United Kingdom in 1989.
Prior to joining CIBC FirstCaribbean, Ms. Delaney held the position of an Executive Vice President within Retail Banking at CIBC. She is a former Director of the Canadian Payments Association and Acxsys Corporation. She was also a Director of Skills for Change, a non-profit organization helping newcomers to Canada.
Over the past several weeks, Ms. Delaney has been visiting the other markets where the bank operates meeting with Employees and clients to talk about their business and to hear their thoughts on the bank’s operations.
