VCEFL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
Dr. Winford James is a linguist and career educational professional having taught at the secondary and tertiary levels for over forty years combined. Dr. James holds a PhD. in Linguistics, Diploma in Education (with Distinction), and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, French, and Linguistics all from the University of the West Indies (UWI). (more...)
Dr. Winford James is a linguist and career educational professional having taught at the secondary and tertiary levels for over forty years combined. Dr. James holds a PhD. in Linguistics, Diploma in Education (with Distinction), and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, French, and Linguistics all from the University of the West Indies (UWI). He is fluent in English Creole, Standard English, Spanish, and French. He is a retired UWI Lecturer, former Chair of the School of Graduate Studies & Research (SGSR) UWI, St. Augustine, and co-author of a scholarly article published in Linguistics (an interdisciplinary journal of the language sciences), as well as numerous other peer-reviewed papers.
Dr. James has experience in the financial sector having served on the Boards of the Central Finance Facility (CFF) and the Trinidad and Tobago Credit Union Deposit Insurance Fund (TTCUDIF) Co-operative Society Ltd. He is a Director of the Board of the Mt. Pleasant Credit Union Co-operative Society Ltd. where he previously served as President of the Board for over ten (10) years. His attendance of numerous courses, seminars, and workshops on financial regulations, credit union financing, financial statements, budgeting, and financial leadership and management over many years served to hone his knowledge and skills. He has extensive experience in print media having been a columnist for Tobago Beacon, Tobago News, Newsday, and Trinidad Express, and is currently a Sunday Guardian columnist. Dr. James became Chairman of the THA Venture Capital Equity Fund Ltd. Board of Directors in May 2022.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Leader of the Lion King S.B. Group
- Mr. Barry Joefield / Director
Barry Joefield is leader of the Lion King S.B. Group and former Director of Planning, Research, and Project Implementation in the Ministry of Tobago Development. He has extensive history in the agriculture sector first as an Agribusiness Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, as former Chairman of the Cocoa and Coffee Industry Board of T&T, and former (2008 - 2011) Senior Project Officer for Agricultural Development at the CARICOM Secretariat headquartered at Georgetown, Guyana. Mr. Joefield graduated with a BSc. in Agriculture, a MSc. in Agricultural Economics, and a MBA in International Finance all from the University of the West Indies.
Barry Joefield is Leader of the Lion King S.B. Group and former Director of Planning, Research & Project Implementation in the Ministry of Tobago Development. He has extensive history in (more ...)
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Budget Sub - Committee
- Member of Budget Sub - Committee
- Technical Advisor at the Tobago House of Assembly
- Technical Advisor at the Tobago House of Assembly ( THA ) Division of Finance
Carlos Hazel is the Technical Advisor at the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Division of Finance, Trade and the Economy. Mr. Hazel is an economist with over twenty (20) years post-qualification experience (more ...)
Carlos Hazel is the Technical Advisor at the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Division of Finance, Trade and the Economy. Mr. Hazel is an economist with over twenty (20) years' post-qualification experience with specialization in financial economics, economic development policy and macroeconomic management. He holds a Masters of Philosophy in Economic Development Policy from the University of the West Indies (UWI), a MSc. in Financial Economics from the University of London, and a BSc. in Economics from UWI. He has participated in numerous professional development trainings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank Group, the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC), and the Caribbean Development Bank. He has presented at various economic conferences, conducted research and is published in his field.
Mr. Hazel is a former Director of Finance at the Tobago Regional Health Authority, former adjunct lecturer at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), and former part-time lecturer at UWI St. Augustine.
Job Titles:
- Management Accountant
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Budget Sub - Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
- Member of Budget Sub - Committee
The Investment Committee works in tandem with the General Manager to deliver the full range of investment responsibilities, strategic vision and to provide accountability to the Board of Directors and the Shareholder. The Investment Committee members are appointed by the Board of Directors to act in an advisory capacity, however, ultimate responsibility for investment recommendation lies with the Board.
This committee comprises of members of the Tobago business community as well as two members of the VCEFL Board of Directors. These professionals use global best practices adapted to Tobago's economic experiences and realities to manage seed capital provided by VCEFL shareholders and investors.
Denese Toby-Quashie is a trained Management Accountant and has held the position of Administrator in the Tobago House of Assembly since 2017 having served as (more...)
Denese Toby-Quashie is a trained Management Accountant and has held the position of Administrator in the Tobago House of Assembly since 2017 having served as Administrator of: the Division of Finance and the Economy; the Division of Settlements, Urban Development and Public Utilities; the Division of Education, Innovation and Energy; and at the Division of Health, Wellness and Social Protection. She is presently the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs.
Mrs. Toby-Quashie is a senior auditing professional with extensive public sector compliance, budgeting and financial auditing experience having been an Assistant Audit Director at the Tobago branch office of the Auditor General's Department prior to 2017. She holds a MBA (with Distinction) in Human Resource Management and completed a Post-Master's Certificate in Business Administration both from the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) since 2003. Mrs. Toby-Quashie has a passion for promoting health through education.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Investment Committee
- Deputy Chairman
- Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors
Mary-Ann Brathwaite-Leonce is a highly skilled professional with more than fifteen years of experience in management consultancy. She is Director of the Management Services Unit (MSU) in the Office of the Chief Secretary, Tobago House of Assembly (THA). (more ...)
Mary-Ann Brathwaite-Leonce is a highly skilled professional with more than fifteen years of experience in management consultancy. She is Director of the Management Services Unit (MSU) in the Office of the Chief Secretary, Tobago House of Assembly (THA). The MSU is responsible for providing management consultancy services to all Divisions and agencies operating within the THA with the goal being to optimize management and operational efficiencies.
Mrs. Brathwaite-Leonce attained her BSc. in Accounting Specialization from the University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine in 2001. She furthered her studies at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business from which she attained an MBA in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and graduated with distinction in 2008. Mrs. Brathwaite-Leonce has over ten years' experience in Accounting, Business Process Re-engineering and Organizational Development. Mrs. Brathwaite-Leonce has a passion for capacity building and the professional development of management and staff of institutions in Tobago.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Budget Sub - Committee
- Financial Consultant at HALWILL Financial Solutions Ltd
- Member of Budget Sub - Committee
- Mrs. Simone T. Hall / Director
Simone Hall is a financial consultant at HALWILL Financial Solutions Ltd. Mrs. Hall attained her Master's in Business Administration from Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom in 2014. Through her work, Mrs. Hall has generated a reputation and proven record of accomplishment for her firm by successfully initiating and establishing new businesses. As Managing Director of HALWILL she expertly develops businesses, sources funding, develops customized marketing approaches, and implements strategies to drive her clients' business development, growth and diversification.
With over ten years of banking experience in the field of home financing and seven years of experience as a Financial Analyst and Business Consultant, Mrs. Hall brings to the VCEFL Board sound knowledge of Project Management, Financing, Sales and Marketing, Financial Analysis and Risk Assessment.
Simone Hall is a financial consultant at HALWILL Financial Solutions Ltd. Mrs. Hall attained her Master's in Business Administration from Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom in 2014. (more...)
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Lesley Gray has eighteen (18) years progressive experience as an attorney at law in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Gray obtained her Bachelor of Laws from the University of the West Indies. She then completed the Legal Education Certificate at the Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad. Some of her areas of practice and specialization include: civil law, litigation, contract law, company law, employment law/industrial relations and real property law/conveyancing.
The majority of her experience is in the public sector, eight (8) years of which were spent in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs (AGLA) as State Solicitor then Senior State Solicitor. Currently Ms. Gray is the Senior State Counsel of the Tobago House of Assembly in the Office of the Chief Secretary and she has served in this capacity for the past four (4) years. Ms. Gray uses her experience to provide sound advice to the Assembly, manage its risk in transactions, secure its interest in litigation, and provide tenure in respect of the state lands entrusted to the Assembly. Ms. Gray is passionate about excellence and achievements and has therefore introduced measures in the Legal Department of the Assembly and its wider legal portfolio which redound to the benefit of the Assembly and its stakeholders.
Lesley Gray has eighteen (18) years progressive experience as an attorney at law in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Gray obtained her Bachelor of Laws from the University of the West Indies. She then completed the Legal Education Certificate at the Hugh Wooding (more ...)
Job Titles:
- Member of the Investment Committee