NIPDEC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chairman
- Physician
- Executive Member of the National Muslim Women 's Organization of Trinidad
Dr. Maryam Abdool-Richards was appointed to NIPDEC's Board on November 16, 2020.
Dr. Abdool-Richards, is a physician specializing in Public Health and Family Medicine / Primary Health Care. She has over fifteen (15) years of experience in the public and private health sectors. Dr. Abdool - Richards is currently the Principal Medical Officer - Institutions (Ag.) at the Ministry of Health, Trinidad and Tobago, with responsibility for policy implementation, quality assurance, regulation and oversight of the five (5) Regional Health Authorities (RHAs). Dr. Abdool- Richards also serves as the Ministry of Health's representative on several cabinet appointed Inter-Ministerial committees and provides technical knowledge on health diplomacy and international relations projects. Dr. Abdool-Richards has also acted as the Chief Medical Officer of Trinidad and Tobago on several occasions.
Prior to her appointment as the Principal Medical Officer, Dr. Abdool-Richards was the Technical Director of the Inter-American Development Bank (I.D.B) funded Health Services Support Programme of the Ministry of Health. She has extensive experience in Primary Health Care, Project Management, Health Systems and Financing for Health Care.
Dr. Abdool-Richards is an executive member of the National Muslim Women's Organization of Trinidad and Tobago and provides advisory support to several civil society organizations with interests in women's rights, gender equality and human rights.
Dr. Abdool-Richards graduated with a M.B.B.S degree from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine and was the recipient of the University Medal for overall top performance in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in all three (3) campuses of the University of the West Indies. She is also the holder of a Master of Science degree in Family Medicine from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, and a Master of Science degree in Public Health in Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a constituent college of the University of London. In 2019, Dr. Abdool-Richards was awarded an Executive Master of Business Administration with Distinction from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. She has also received training in International Relations and Diplomacy, and is fluent in Spanish.
Malisa R. Gilkes is a Strategic Human Resource Professional with over sixteen (16) years' experience. Malisa is heavily involved in our Company's transformation and emphasizes creative employee development solutions aligned to business focused strategies that support our corporate mandate.
Mrs. Gilkes holds a Master of Science Degree in Business Administration as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management and a minor in Psychology. She also is in possession of a Professional Certificate in Industrial Relations.
Job Titles:
- Head, Procurement & Supply Chain Management
Job Titles:
- Head, Finance & Accounting
Jabari is a CIMA qualified finance executive with nineteen (19) years' global experience in internal and external Financial Reporting and Business Management across diverse business sectors in the United Kingdom and Trinidad & Tobago. He joined NIPDEC in July 2016 and assumed the role of Head Finance & Accounting.
Prior to NIPDEC Jabari was a Finance Director with the Massey group and Financial Controller of National Flour Mills and Clinical Trials Pharmaceutical Company; Quintiles (U.K.).
Jabari is the holder of an MBA and Bachelor's Degree in Accounting.
Job Titles:
- Head, Property Development
With Over 20 years in the Construction Sector and the Project Management Environment, Vyas Ramphalie has been with the NIPDEC team since 2012. A qualified project manager, he has attained a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.c), a Masters of Science (M.Sc.) Degree in Construction Management and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).
Mr. Ramphalie's experience includes project planning and development, project scheduling, project accounting, tendering and procurement, cost, time and quality control, contract administration and project monitoring and supervision.
Prior to working at NIPDEC he headed the Projects department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Ramphalie also worked as Executive Manager - Projects at the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago, Project Manager at Raghunathsingh and Company Limited, West Atlantic Construction Limited, Seereeram Brothers Limited and Lee Young and Partners. Moreover, he has experience working on large construction projects with the New York based firm Volmer Associates.
Job Titles:
- Company Secretary / Head Legal Services
- Law and Qualified Company Secretary
Reyna Kowlessar is an attorney at law and qualified company secretary. She is versed in the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, England and Belgium and has also managed a wide range of corporate commercial transactions which spans due diligence to closing in Mergers and Acquisitions.
Ms Kowlessar joined NIPDEC's Team in 2021. Prior to NIPDEC, Ms Kowlessar has advised and been Counsel on regulatory and compliance issues in the financial sector and was team lead in the development of a framework for the establishment of foreign exchange controls.
Reyna is the holder of an LLB (Hons), LPC, ICSA (London) and MBA (Distinction).