The Bahamas Financial Services Board has announced its 2010 Executive of the Year..recognising him as an industry player who *“exemplifies outstanding leadership qualities, with significant contribution to the growth and development of The Bahamas’ financial services industry.”* The 2010 Recipient was announced at BFSB’s Industry Excellence Awards Gala Dinner last night. The Hon. T. Brent Symonette, Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas, assisted BFSB Chairman Paul Winder in presenting the six awards: *Executive of the Year; [Professional of the Year](https://bfsb-bahamas.com/news.php?cmd=view&id=2980&pre=y); [Achiever of the Year](https://bfsb-bahamas.com/news.php?cmd=view&id=2981&pre=y); [Student of the Year](https://bfsb-bahamas.com/news.php?cmd=view&id=2982&pre=y);* and the *[Development & Promotion](https://bfsb-bahamas.com/news.php?cmd=view&id=2973&pre=y)* and *[Mentorship](https://bfsb-bahamas.com/news.php?cmd=view&id=2975&pre=y)* Awards.
##Executive of the Year – John M. Lawrence##
John M. John has been extremely active in the Bahamian financial services sector for the past 25 years and has made a major contribution to the growth and development of this vitally important industry. He has held senior executive positions in a number of well recognised and highly regarded institutions in The Bahamas, and has contributed to the success of each of them.
He is Chairman of Windermere Corporate Management Limited, a Bahamas-based Financial & Corporate Service Provider and Investment Advisor. Windermere provides a broad range of wealth management and family office services. Windermere Yacht Services, recently created, specialises in catering to mega yacht requirements. John also is Chief Executive Officer for Metropolitan Bank (Bahamas) Limited, an Asian based banking institution that has been in The Bahamas since 1982. The Bahamas Office specialises in providing banking services to its private clients and has been expanding in recent years into broker dealer and other areas. As CEO, John focuses on developing new markets and new products for this global banking group.
Previously, he has served as Managing Director of MeesPierson (Bahamas) Limited, with responsibility for all aspects of staff, operations, and strategic planning for the MeesPierson International Wealth Management Office in Nassau. At MeesPierson he also held the positions of Deputy Managing Director and Director of Marketing and Business Development, starting with the firm in 1994 after an 8-year stint with Coutts & Co. (Bahamas) Limited.
Despite his many pressing professional obligations, John consistently has found time over the years to be a leader in various representative bodies and support groups dedicated to the advancement of the financial services sector. The organisations that have benefited from John’s dedication include the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP), the Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB), and the SWIFT network. John is also frequently involved in smaller “think-tanks” and strategic development groupings aimed at introducing much needed innovations in the product offerings of The Bahamas.
John has been extremely active in promoting The Bahamas in his various capacities with STEP. Currently he is the STEP Chairman for the Caribbean & Latin American Region, a post he has held since 2003. John also is on the STEP Caribbean Conference Steering Committee. STEP Caribbean is a “thought leader” in terms of conferences for the financial services sector in the region. With John’s various STEP roles he spends an average of 30 days each year on the road waving the STEP flag and The Bahamas flag. He is also a Worldwide Council Member, an elite post within the STEP realm.
John is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business (Hons) from Florida State University.
*Congratulations from the BFSB Team!*
EOTY Photo Caption: Left to Right – BFSB Chairman Paul Winder, John M. Lawrence, Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. T. Brent Symonette