Amid fears of a contraction in the financial services industry, there is a voice of hope, that of Betty Roberts, managing director at S. G. Hambros.
“I have a huge sense of optimism,” she said. “There has been a lot of negative press, and there is no doubt that a rapid evolution is taking place. But there are many financial institutions here that are doing quite well, that are gaining ground, and that are not dwelling on the past.
“They are using the current environment to develop new opportunities and new products. The industry will survive and flourish provided we take good care of our global image and our ability to confirm to the rest of the world that we are interested in doing good, compliant, transparent business.”
Mrs. Roberts, a fellow of the College of International Bankers and a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, is among a growing number of Bahamian women earning top management positions in financial services.
And, for her dedication to high performance,she was awarded the first Bahamas Financial Services Board’s prestigious Executive of the Year award.
It is not unusual for Mrs. Roberts to be the only woman at board meetings.
For her that’s no big deal. She is as comfortable in that situation as her male counterparts are with her.
“I have never detected the overt kind of prejudice some women say they have experienced,” she said. “I am not treated any differently. I believe I am accepted for who I am, for my skills, and for what I contribute.”
Caption: Betty Roberts
By GLADSTONE THURSTON, The Nassau Guardian
