The Cayman Islands Financial Services Association (CIFSA), with government support, has launched a campaign to raise interest in and understanding of the financial services sector.
The campaign, initiated in conjunction with the Public Relations Unit of the Portfolio of Finance & Economics, kicked off with a presentation to year 10 students at John Gray High School on Wednesday, 21 May.
Themed “It’s Everybody’s Business”, the campaign aims to give the general public an insider’s view of the financial services sector. The presentation was the first in a series of public events planned over the next six months.
Winston Connolly, two-time nominee for the Young Caymanian Leadership Award, spoke to John Gray students about his educational journey. He has a bachelor’s degree in finance and qualified as an attorney, and now works at Maples and Calder.
Mr Connolly, who attended the former Cayman Islands High School, described school as “the start of a long road” which, if travelled, could yield great personal, financial and professional satisfaction for students.
He highlighted the importance and value of work placements in giving students exposure to a range of job opportunities. Mr Connolly also spoke about the diversity of jobs available in the financial sector and the need the sector had for a variety of professional skills that were not limited to legal and accounting.
Addressing the need for the campaign, CIFSA President Eduardo Silva said: “According to research we conducted, many people feel disconnected from our industry. They see the financial sector as being detached from the rest of the islands and do not see how it is relevant to their daily lives.”
He added:
“Our goal with this community-focused program of speaking events to public groups, supported by newspaper and radio ads, and our new website is to give people more information about the industry and how integral it is to the community and culture of Cayman.”
Ormond Williams, President of Cayman National Bank, said, “All citizens and residents of the Cayman Islands would benefit from a better appreciation of how the financial services industry has become so tightly woven into the social, cultural, and economic tapestry that makes up Cayman.
“Cayman National is proud to be a sponsor of this important campaign along with many other prominent firms in the industry.”
CIFSA has also launched a website to provide information about the financial services industry, the opportunities it offers, and the social and cultural contributions the sector has made to the Cayman Islands. For more information go to www.everybodysbusiness.ky.