At last Friday’s (February 9) NCB annual general meeting held at its headquarters, The Atrium on Trafalgar Road, it was confirmed that interim group CEO Robert Almeida got the nod as full-time CEO and is now in effect Michael Lee-Chin’s right-hand man.

Almeida was appointed interim CEO back in July of last year and was part of a transition team on a mission to rehabilitate NCB and restore its preeminence. 

He is an experienced executive who has “made his bones”.

The chartered accountant who once worked for Ernst & Young holds a degree from the University of Toronto. He has held positions as Senior Vice President for CIBC World Markets Inc, Vice President Development & Re-engineering at Canada’s largest retailer, Loblaw, Co-Manager at AIC Advantage Offshore Fund, Senior Vice President at AIC Limited.

In 2002, he joined Michael Lee-Chin’s Portland Group, helping to steer NCB to becoming Jamaica’s biggest and most successful bank. He became managing partner of Portland Private Equity, playing a pivotal role in launching the AIC Caribbean Fund.

Almeida has held board positions on a number of Caribbean companies including Columbus International Inc (cable and telecoms), Kingston Wharves (port operator), Advantage General (insurance), and the CVM Group (media).

He presently sits on the boards of NCB Financial Group and Clarien Bank. He is currently the chairman of the Guardian Holdings Group, having replaced Patrick Hylton.

Speaking with Our Today, chairman of NCB Group, Michael Lee-Chin, said: “ Qualities that would define Robert Almeida are: high values, hardworking, professionalism, calmness, integrity, very loyal, rational, fair, earnest. He is a lovely human being.

What will he bring to the role? Consistency, and fairness, he will value both the staff and customers’ opinions. He brings great leadership.

WATCH: