The Tribune

CIBC FirstCaribbean has been named The Bahamas’ Bank of the Year for the third straight year.

The honour was presented by financial magazine, The Banker, during its 19th annual Bracken Bank of the Year awards held in London on November 29. Marie Rodland-Allen, CIBC FirstCaribbean’s managing director for The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands, accepted the award on the bank’s behalf.

The Bank of the Year awards recognise the best in banking globally, judging over 1,000 applications from 120 countries. Winning banks are selected based on “performance, innovation, adding customer value, and leadership in society”.

Mrs Rodland-Allen said CIBC FirstCaribbean employees were the backbone of the bank’s success, and added: “Proud is an understatement. Here at CIBC FirstCaribbean we cannot overlook the role our employees play in our success.

“In each of the branches and units I see camaraderie; I see commitment; I see staff putting their best foot forward every day to provide excellent customer service, and I can confidently say that it’s our commitment to clients as well as each other that gives way to our continual flourishing.

“We’re thankful to The Banker for recognising our success, but we’re more thankful to our employees who make that success possible year after year.”

The recognition is the latest in a series of honours received by the bank this year. CIBC FirstCaribbean was also named Most Innovate Bank in the Caribbean 2018, as well as Best Wealth Management Provider in The Bahamas 2018 by World Finance Magazine.

“This is a testament to our commitment to deliver on our brand promise to provide personalised, responsive and easy service,” Mrs Rodland-Allen said. “I would like to thank our shareholders, clients and employees for their loyalty and continuing support.”

The Banker is a subsidiary of The Financial Times newspaper, and has been the world’s leading monthly journal for the banking industry for the past 92 years. CIBC FirstCaribbean has been crowned Bank of the Year for The Bahamas eight times in the past 12 years.