Meet Our Councillors
Chamber President – Nelson Dilbert. Owner/Distiller, Cayman Spirits Company
A Caymanian Entrepreneur, Nelson He is passionate about supporting his islands through business and through community service. He started at Big Daddy’s Liquor Store in 1998, quickly working his way up to become manager two years later. Always seeking new challenges, Nelson opened Hammerheads Brew Pub in 2003 before developing Cayman’s first locally produced rum in 2006. Since then, the Cayman Spirits Company has expanded and are currently marketing a range of locally branded products across North America and Europe. Nelson believes in including people with disabilities into the workforce and is an active member of Rotary Central. He previously served on the Chamber Council as Vice President and President-Elect.
President-Elect – Joanne Lawson. Chief of Staff, Dart Enterprises Ltd.
In her role as Chief of Staff to the CEO at Dart, Joanne ensures strategies and business operations are aligned with the company’s purpose, values and priorities Joanne leads enterprise-wide projects and oversees a number of organisational functions including human resources, legal, marketing and community development. Joanne’s professional experience includes hospitality, property management, human resource management and business operations. Passionate about family, fitness and supporting the local community, Joanne is a Rotarian ‘on leave’, as well as being a former director of Big Brothers Big Sisters
Treasurer – Colin Robinson, Director, Strategic Risk Solutions, Cayman Islands
Colin has over 15 years’ experience in the insurance industry ranging from the captive to the commercial underwriting marketplace. Prior to joining SRS, Colin worked as a Senior Account Manager and Assistant Vice President with Marsh Management Services in the Cayman Islands. Colin works with single parent captives, segregated portfolio companies and has dealt with clients in the healthcare, construction, and insurance industry as a captive manager. Colin is a former instructor with the International Center for Captive Education. He serves as Vice Chairman and member of the Legislative and Regulatory Committee and Insurance Managers Association of the Cayman Islands.
Vice President – Omari Corbin, Area Vice President, RBC Royal Bank (Cayman) Ltd.
A banking professional with 20 years’ experience throughout the Caribbean, Omari has held progressively senior roles in Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and the Cayman Islands. He is past president of the Cayman Islands Bankers Association and is also a member of the 2017 Leadership Cayman cohort. A constant contributor to his community, Omari is passionate about mentorship. He has been a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters, as well as being a Chamber Mentor. Outside work, Omari enjoys family time, playing sports, reading, and traveling. He lives in the Cayman Islands with his wife, Lise, and their two children, Gabriel, and Madison.
Secretary – David Johnson, Managing Director, Corporate Electric Ltd.
David Johnston was born in Ottawa, Canada and moved to the Cayman Islands in 1995. In 2001, he joined Corporate Electric Ltd. to focus on the growth of the electrical service department and was tasked with securing most of the existing distribution lines. He became Managing Director In 2009. David currently serves as President of the Cayman Society of Architects, Surveyors and Engineers, President of the Cayman Contractor’s Association (CCA), Treasurer of the Cayman Islands Facility Management Association (CIFMA) and is also a member of Cayman Islands Renewable Energy Association (CREA).
Heather Halsey, Director/Coach, CaymanHR
With more than 25 years in the offshore finance industry, Heather brings a wealth of knowledge and energy to every project she undertakes. Her resumé includes qualifications and roles in all aspects of Human Resources and Recruitment, Leadership Coaching and Training, Operations, Project Management, Technology, Law, Marketing, Banking, and Insurance. Heather is committed to helping businesses grow and teams reach optimal performance through analysis and implementation of people, product and process solutions.
Outside of work, you will find Heather enjoying life in the Caribbean with her husband and teenage children, travelling, or engaged in community organizations such as Chamber of Commerce, CISHRP and CIPCA.
Kendra Foster, Managing Partner, Ocorian Law (Cayman) Ltd.
Kendra Foster was admitted as an attorney-at-law in the Cayman Islands in 2005. She has over 17 years of experience in the Cayman Islands financial services industry. She is a Council Member of the Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association, a Deputy Chair of the Cayman Islands Immigration Appeals Tribunal and a Deputy Chair of the Cayman Islands Planning Appeals Tribunal. Proficient in financial services, investment funds, and general corporate commercial practice, Kendra specialises in regulatory oversight, licensing, risk management and information disclosure. She routinely advises on anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, counter-proliferation financing, and sanctions.
Steve Bramwell, Owner, Artech Ltd.
Owner of A/C company Artech Ltd, Steve loves serving the community and providing high quality services at a reasonable cost to all his customers. Born in St. Ann, Jamaica, Steve moved to Grand Cayman with his family in the early 1980s. He studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Technology in Jamaica and then returned to the Cayman Islands where he gained valuable experience with a local contractor before launching Artech. Steve is the proud father of a teenage daughter. He enjoys riding motorcycles discussing new ideas, and is partial to a small bowl of freshly steamed plain rice at the end of a long day.
Matthew Adam CPA, Director, Cayman Crystal Caves
Matthew is currently an Audit Director at Rankin Berkower (Cayman) Ltd and has over 15 years’ experience in Financial Services, providing accounting and auditing services to hedge funds, trust companies, private banks, and other investment vehicles. Matthew is a Director of BSA Consulting Ltd., which manages the Cayman Crystal Caves tourist attraction. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the International College of the Cayman Islands and a Director of the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands and served on the Board of Directors of the Cayman Islands Development Bank between 2009 and 2013.
Sarah Hobbs, Vice President and Country Head, Scotiabank & Trust (Cayman) Ltd.
Sarah has over 25 years of experience in the Financial Services industry, having held increasingly senior positions in Retail Banking, Commercial Banking, and Wealth Management and Operations. She has been actively involved in strategic initiatives for the English Caribbean Region, and was Managing Director for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd. and Managing Director for Scotiabank (British Virgin Islands) Limited. Sarah is the current President of the Cayman Islands Banker’s Association. Outside work, Sarah’s a mom who loves travelling and spending time with her family. She is passionate about the environment and enjoys giving back to her community.
Dan DeFinis, Chief Executive and Engineering Officer, Davenport Development
Dan relocated to Cayman in 2014 to work for The Ritz-Carlton as Chief Engineer. In 2017, he became Engineering Manager for Cricket Square during which time he enrolled with the University of Liverpool to work on his MBA. After three years at Cricket Square, he took on responsibility as Engineering Manager and was recently appointed Chief Executive and Engineering Officer. He currently serves as President of the Cayman Contractors Association. Prior to moving to Cayman in 2014, he was a mechanical engineer in the aerospace field working for an industry leader based out of Connecticut. Dan holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees, both in Mechanical Engineering from Syracuse University and Rensselaer Polytechnic University respectively.