1 August 2017
MEDIA RELEASE
2017 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Jamaica Institute of Financial Services (JIFS), having been
inaugurated on the 24th of February 1977 as the Jamaica Institute of Bankers (JIOB) under the
sponsorship of the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ), in furtherance of Section 23 of the Bank of Jamaica Act to
satisfy the training and education needs of Banking. In 1999 the Jamaica Bankers Association (JBA)
assumed full responsibility for its operations.
In celebration of this milestone, JIFS and JBA will be hosting a number of activities throughout the year,
which include the JIFS Finance Club event on February 24 at the NCB Wellness & Recreation Centre, 915 Phoenix Avenue.
The JIFS Finance Club is a forum of social exchange for executives from the financial services sector,
which cuts across various segments of the industry and creates an opportunity for relationship building
amongst competitors in the effort to build necessary collaboration in areas of common interest. Since its
launch in October 2012, the events have been successful with up to 100 guests attending and sharing in a
comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.
This will be a very special event which will include the cutting of an anniversary cake as well as a
symbolic ‘passing of baton’ to the new Chairman of the JIFS Executive Committee, Mr Rickert Allen.
Mr Allen is the Senior General Manager, Group Human Resource and Facilities Division at National
Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited. He succeeds Mr. Michael McAnuff-Jones, former Vice President
Human Resource at Scotiabank who has given outstanding service to the Institute for over seven years.
“As we go into our 40th year, there are two issues of focus which will impact how we develop the human
capital in the industry namely; Digital disruption and Increasing regulation such as the Banking Services
Act. We have to make sure that employees develop the requisite competencies so that the financial
services industry can remain sustainable and profitable.” Said newly appointed Chairman Rickert Allen.
As the Education Committee of the Jamaica Bankers Association (JBA), which comprises heads of
human resources from the financial services sector, JIFS is proud to continue making significant
contribution to the development of hundreds of Caribbean business professionals with its mandate of
promoting research and development of the financial services sector through its Financial Services
Training Institute (Training), Research Club (Research) and Finance Club (social exchange).
Michael McAnuff-Jones reflected that “the opportunity to Chair the JIFS Executive Committee over a 7year period provided a forum for strategic repositioning of this very important institution. The deepening
of critical skills through the expansion and revamping of development programmes as well as the reenergising of the networking mandate along with the move to establishing the research capabilities was a
Financial Services Training Institute
Research Club
Finance Club
great fusion of the role of JIFS in providing a cohesive value added support to the industry. I wish the
team well as we move into a new phase in the building out of the development mandate.”
With the number 40 being a symbolic year for new beginnings, the theme of the celebration is “Renew,
Refocus, Reposition”. The JIFS Finance Club event is the first celebratory activity. Other planned
activities include a Thanksgiving Service which will be held at the Webster Memorial United Church on
March 5 and a banquet on May 4.
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About JIFS
The Jamaica Institute of Financial Services (JIFS) was established as The Jamaica Institute of Bankers (“JIOB”) in
1977 by the Bank of Jamaica and the Commercial Banks. In 1999 the Jamaica Bankers Association (“JBA”) assumed
full responsibility for its operations. The name change took effect in May 2012 which reflect its mandate to support
the entire financial services sector through training, research and social exchange. Its Financial Services Training
Institute offers a number of short-term training courses and seminars as well as certification programmes.
Contact:
Darlene Jones
Executive Director, The Jamaica Institute of Financial Services
Tel: 876-754-5051-52 Direct: 876-754--5050 Cell: 876-878-4813
Fax: 876-754-5049; Email: [email protected]
Financial Services Training Institute
Research Club
Finance Club