About Us

Our History

We were incorporated in 1970 as Solnar Limited with its activities geared to providing deposit-taking, lending and leasing facilities to clients of the law firm Myers Fletcher & Gordon.

In 1992 the shareholders decided to position the company as a full-fledged merchant bank to take advantage of an expanding financial services market. MF&G Trust & Finance became the new name, highlighting the strong and enviable ties with the law firm. This allowed the company to emerge as a separate entity with its own reputation in the financial marketplace. The Company’s assets, which were then less than J$200 million, have increased in the intervening period, confirming the wisdom of this decision and the increasing client confidence in the Company.

Cornerstone Trust and Merchant Bank was licensed to manage trusts and administer estates in 1993. It became an approved foreign exchange dealer in 1997 and has since garnered significant foreign currency deposits, loans and leases.  In 2003, the strategic focus was modified to capitalize on new banking regulations and as such the advisory, trading and portfolio management services of the bank were divested to a new sister company in June 2003. 

The company is subject to detailed monitoring and operational audits by the Bank of Jamaica and must conform with the various requirements of the Banking Services Act (2014) and Regulations thereunder. The company’s operations are also regulated by the Deposit Insurance Act and all other regulations governing the operations of local financial institutions.

Our Aim

Barita Merchant Bank has earned a reputation for the highly personalized service that it offers to its clients. We aim to serve our clients well and to make them proud to be associated with us. We believe that in doing so we will also do well.

Our Approach: Meeting your unique requirements

We place a high premium on safety and will always seek to protect your interests.

We will provide you with convenient, professional and personalized service.

We will work with you to identify products and services that are suitable for your needs.

We listen to your concerns, help you to analyze your needs and guide you to the most appropriate means of fulfilling your financial objectives.

Lyden Heaven

Chairman

LYDEN HEAVEN is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of TM&T Associates. He is an Electrical Engineer/Businessman who, prior to establishing his own business, worked with Alcan Jamaica Limited as Senior Projects Engineer and Citrad Limited as a Consulting Engineer. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and Electrical Mathematics from the University of Reading (UK). He is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Jamaica Institute of Engineers.

Robert Drummond

Deputy Chairman

ROBERT DRUMMOND is a Management Consultant with over 25 years of experience in various industries to include the financial services. He has worked at several prominent companies both locally and internationally. Recognized as a strategy implementation specialist, Mr. Drummond has contributed significantly through his research and publications on a wide range of topics including Service Delivery Systems, Managing Resistance to Change and Leadership and Organizational Turnarounds. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.

Mark Myers

Director

An astute businessman, MARK MYERS is the Managing Director of Restaurants of Jamaica Limited. Mr. Myers holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations, Transportation and Distribution management from Syracuse University’s School of Management. A believer in contributing to the development of his country, he has served on several boards to include the Bank of Jamaica, Jamaica Trade and Invest and the Jamaica Observer.

Paul Simpson, CD

Director

Mr. Simpson is the Founder, President and CEO of Cornerstone. He is an Investment Banker with over 13 years experience having worked in the Caribbean, the United States and Europe in various roles. He holds a double major in Computer Science and Geology and an MBA from the University of the West Indies. He has served on various government, private and charity boards including the Youth Arm of UNESCO, YMCA and the Jamaica Tourist Board where he was the Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee.

Jason Chambers (MSc)

Group Chief Investment Officer, Cornerstone

Jason has over 23 years’ of experience, spanning the range of Securities Trading, Investment and Treasury Management, Corporate Finance, and Corporate Banking. Most recently, Jason held the position of VP of Investment Management at the GraceKennedy Group. Jason also headed the Corporate Banking Unit within First Global Bank Limited where his functional responsibilities included the development, execution, and monitoring of business development strategies to grow the corporate banking business; management of credit structuring and assessment in accordance with the requirements of corporate clients within the parameters of the bank’s lending policy; the upgrading of the credit policies of the bank to conform with current and emerging risks, and management of the credit quality of the portfolio in conjunction with the credit risk management unit of the bank. Jason was also a member of the senior management teams of the securities dealing subsidiaries of Guardian Holdings and GraceKennedy where he led the Asset Liabilities Management Committee (“ALCO”) of GK Capital and served as a member of the GK Group ALCO. Jason is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, where he obtained a BSc. in Economics. Jason also holds a Master of Science degree from the University of London.

Dane Brodber (CFA, CAIA, FRM, MBA)

Acting CEO, BMB and CEO Designate, BFGL

Dane joined Cornerstone in 2019 as the Chief Risk Officer for the Group and was seconded to Barita in May 2022 as the Interim Chief Executive Officer. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry with extensive experience in Risk Management, as well as experience with Operational Risk, Strategy, Business Intelligence, and Financial Analysis. Prior to joining Cornerstone, he held the position of Regional Director, Market Risk Management at Scotiabank, where he had responsibility for the measurement, monitoring and governance of market risk exposures throughout the English-Speaking Caribbean. Dane earned undergraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Economics & Business from Lafayette College and an MBA from the University of New Orleans. He earned the CFA Charter in 2006, the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) designation in 2007, and the Chartered Alternative Investments Analyst (CAIA) designation in 2019. Dane is the current President and former founding VP of CFA Society Jamaica. In his prior capacity as Chief Risk Officer he was responsible for the buildout, maintenance and oversight of the required risk management and supporting governance frameworks throughout the Cornerstone group.

Stephen Phillibert (MBA, CFA)

Group Chief Financial Officer

Stephen has over 22 years’ of experience in Finance & Accounting, General Management and Strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions and Financial Risk. He joined Cornerstone in 2020 from PanJam Investment Limited, where he held the title of Chief Financial Officer for six years, and prior to that spent approximately ten years at GraceKennedy Limited in various financial and strategic roles, ending as Head – Corporate Planning & Strategy for the group. In his capacity at Cornerstone, he is responsible for the financial operations of the group, including financial accounting and management, regulatory and financial reporting in accordance with regulatory requirements, capital and operational budgeting, tax planning and reporting, and oversight of the financial control environment. Stephen also provides support on projects of strategic significance. He holds an MBA from the University of Toronto, a BSc – Accounting from the University of the West Indies as well as the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Stephanie Murdock (MSC., PMP, SMC)

Group Chief Human Resources Officer

Stephanie has over 22 years’ experience in the areas of Strategic Human Resource Development, Change Management, Leadership Development and Industrial Relations. She joined the Group from the National Export Import Bank of Jamaica where she held the position of General Manager, Corporate Services with responsibility for Human Resources, Administrative Procurement and Information Technology. Stephanie was recognised as one of seven Jamaicans to participate in the Advanced Leadership Development, Caribbean Emerging Leaders Dialogue, sponsored by McGill University, held in Ottawa, Canada. She is also a Certified Project Manager. Stephanie obtained both undergraduate and graduate degrees at UWI and Post Graduate Certification in Public Policy from Peking University, Beijing China. Stephanie also obtained a Certificate in Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School.

Sebrena Freeman (MSC., CISA, CRISC)

Group Chief Audit Executive

Sebrena joined us from Scotiabank where she served as the Director of Operational Risk, Caribbean (North & Central). Her experience in financial services spans more than 22 years in the areas of Non-Financial Risk Management, Financial Accounting & Internal Audit. At Scotiabank, she pioneered the implementation of nonfinancial risk function within Jamaica and the Caribbean North & Central region where she served as the Director of Operational Risk, Caribbean. She joined Cornerstone as the Chief Audit Executive; in this capacity, she is responsible for bolstering the internal audit framework of the group to tighten the internal controls environment and strengthen the third line of defense by providing independent assurance and serving as a trusted advisor. She holds an MSc. in Enterprise Risk Management from Mona School of Business and Management (Distinction), a BBA in Finance, and International Business (Hons.) from the University of Technology and earned the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and the Certified in Risk & Information Systems Control (CRISC) designations in 2011 from the Information Systems Audit & Control Association (ISACA).

Stephanie Sterling (LLM)

Group Head, Legal

Stephanie joined Barita in March 2020 as Legal Counsel and is now Group Head of Legal and Company Secretary. Prior to being called to the Bar, Stephanie gained financial advisory experience as a Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers and garnered commercial law experience as an Attorney-at-Law at Myers, Fletcher & Gordon and Debbie-Ann Gordon & Associates. She holds a BA (Economics and History) from Stanford University, LLB (Hons) from the University of London and a LEC from the Norman Manley Law School. Stephanie has also obtained a Master of Laws (Banking and finance law) (Merit) from the University of London.

Geoffery Romans (ASA, MBA, CBCA, FMVA)

Group, Chief Risk Officer

Geoffery is a senior Risk Management executive with over 14 years risk management experience within the Caribbean Region. His vast risk management experience spans banking, insurance, treasury operations, off-shore banking and investment for multiple entities. He is formerly from Scotiabank and a founding member of Scotiabank’s English Caribbean Market Risk Unit where he served in varying roles such as Senior Manager Interest Rate Risk and Balance Sheet Management and most recently, Regional Director, Market Risk Management. He earned his MBA in Financial Management Specialty from Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, UK and his BSc in Mathematics (1st Class Hons) from the UWI. Geoffery is also an Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA).

Stefano D’Ambrosio

Group Chief Innovation Officer

An entrepreneur with over 10 years’ experience translating business needs to tangible technological solutions, Stefano is leading innovation efforts at CTMB. He is a former CTO in FinTech start-ups and a Director for Digital Channels solutions for the Financial Services Industry. Stefano holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management and a BSc. in Computer Engineering from Universidad Simón Bolivar.

Chirag Mehta

Group Chief Experience Officer

Chirag is a transformational Customer Experience leader with over 25 years of global experience at Amazon, Adobe, and Motorola. He has led CX and product innovation across fintech, healthcare, and technology sectors, including the launch of Amazon’s Kindle Fire and mobile APIs. At Cornerstone, he is driving the Group’s shift toward Customer Centricity and leading the launch of Bric, our digital-first platform designed to expand access, trust, and engagement across Jamaica’s evolving financial landscape. A former startup advisor and patent-holding technologist, Chirag brings a rare combination of technical depth, strategic vision, and executional discipline to customer-driven growth.

Lerone Palmer (MSc)

VP, Group Compliance

Lerone joined Barita in March 2020 as Compliance Manager. Prior to joining the group, Lerone held managerial roles in the Scotia Group and has over 15 years of experience as a compliance professional in the Financial Services industry. In this capacity he is responsible to provide strategic su port, coordination and general oversight of the Compliance Programme at Barita to ensure adherence with applicable legislation, regulatory guidelines, and policies and procedures within the entity. He earned his MSc. in Enterprise Risk Management (Distinction) from Mona School of Business and Management and a BSc. in Banking and Finance from the University of West Indies.

Percival Hurditt

VP, Group Strategic Ops & Data Insight

Percival joined Barita on November 18, 2020, as Head, of Financial Risk. He has honed his experience in Risk for over fifteen years which is complemented by years of experience as a Research Economist. Percival holds a MSc. and BSc. in Economics, both from the University of the West Indies

Marsha-Ann Campbell

VP, Group Credit

Marsha-Ann is a seasoned financial services professional with over 15 years of expertise in credit underwriting, adjudication, debt restructuring, and collections. She has built a reputation for strong leadership in risk assessment, deal structuring, and regulatory compliance, while mentoring teams to deliver high-quality credit solutions. Marsha-Ann holds an MBA in General Management (Distinction) and a BSc. in Banking and Finance (Honors) from the University of the West Indies.

Kirk Prendergast

Head, Payments and Transaction Services

Kirk Prendergast is an accomplished payments and technology leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning digital payments, cards, banking, insurance, and information technology. He has a proven track record in payments strategy, product development, innovation, and leading high-performing teams.

Known for combining strategic vision, business insight, and technical expertise, Kirk consistently delivers customer-focused solutions that drive growth and create long-term organizational value.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Computer Information Systems from Florida Atlantic University, as well as a Master of Science in Information Systems from the University of Toronto.

Daryl Palmer

Head, Privacy and Compliance

Daryl Palmer is an Attorney-at-Law, certified Privacy Law Specialist, and experienced Compliance professional with more than 10 years of expertise in legal advisory, regulatory compliance, risk management, and data privacy across the financial services and fintech sectors.

Dual-qualified in Jamaica and Australia, he has held senior compliance and risk leadership roles, leading AML/CFT programmes, enterprise risk management initiatives, and regulatory compliance frameworks while advising Boards on key regulatory matters.

Before joining Barita Merchant Bank, Daryl served as Compliance & Money Laundering Reporting Officer at Paymaster Jamaica Ltd, a Digicel Group Financial Services entity, and previously as Risk & Compliance Manager at Manchester Co-operative Credit Union.

He holds an LLB (Hons) from the University of London, a Postgraduate Diploma in International Compliance from the University of Manchester, and is certified as both a CIPP/E and CIPM by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

Raquel Gentles (FCA, FCCA, MBA)

AVP, Finance

Raquel Gentles, FCA, FCCA, MBA, is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years of post-qualification experience and a Master’s in Business Administration from Florida International University. She began her career as a tax auditor with the tax authorities of Jamaica, building a strong technical foundation prior to joining KPMG, where she further strengthened her professional expertise and established a solid base for her career in audit and advisory.

She transitioned into the private sector, spending all of her career in financial services. Raquel has held senior leadership roles including Senior Financial Manager at Sterling Asset Management, Financial Asset and Project Manager for a St. Kitts project, and Senior Finance Manager at Victoria Mutual Building Society, among others. Most recently, she serves as Assistant Vice President, Finance at Barita Merchant Bank Limited.

Carlton Stewart

AVP, Retail Sales and Service and Retail Partnership

Carlton is a service driven, financial service specialist with over 18 years’ experience in the financial sector. He has spent over 11 years in the Credit Union Movement, and 7 years in the commercial banking and micro financing sector. Carlton has held roles spanning from Country Manager of the Caribbean’s Largest Micro Financing Company, Business Banking Executive, Business Development Officer, and extensive experiences in Banking, Marketing and Sales Management. Carlton holds a B.Sc. in Management Information Systems and a M.Sc. in Marketing and Data Analytics from the University of the West Indies, Mona.

Vanessa Ramsay

Manager, Treausury & FX Trading

Vanessa Ramsay is a driven Treasury & FX trading specialist with over seven years of experience in the financial services sector, specializing in Foreign Exchange Trading and Treasury Management. Throughout her career, she has spent her entire professional tenure within FX Trading and Treasury, developing deep expertise in market execution, liquidity management, and balance sheet optimization. She has held roles across several of the largest securities dealers locally, where she built a strong reputation for disciplined trading, market insight, and consistent performance. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Management (Distinction) and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Banking & Finance (Honours) from the University of the West Indies, Mona.