Corporate Governance in focus at CAACM Conference Antigua 2019
Audit committee directors and audit practitioners from across the Caribbean region gathered at the Royalton Antigua for the Caribbean Association of Audit Committee Members Inc. (CAACM) 13th Annual Conference and AGM. The two-day event (June 27-28, 2019) was attended by over 80 participants under the theme ‘Riding the Wave of Disruption – Practical Aids for the Impending Challenges.’ Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Corporate Governance, the Honorable Gaston Browne, delivered the feature address on Day 1. In his remarks, the prime minister applauded the organisation for its commitment to enhancing the Caribbean’s investment climate through the development of persons responsible for ensuring sound corporate governance practices. He also challenged delegates to lead the charge in their respective organisations to ensure sound business practices and efficient service delivery.
The conference presented a highly specialised program that included topics such as cloud computing, developing IT audit strategies, leveraging blockchain technologies, the General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR), automation, and data analytics. In her opening remarks; Chairperson of the CAACM, Mrs. Melissa Simon noted that the conference was being held at a critical juncture for Caribbean entities who are being challenged to become proactively engaged on matters of corporate governance. “We recognise the imperative for the implementation of best practices and the implications for not meeting these standards. The globalised environment has also triggered the urgency for effective oversight, promotion of organisational hygiene and the enhancement of our global competitiveness. These factors underpin the significance and relevance of CAACM.”
Other presenters at the conference included Mr. Jeremy Stephen of the AMLFC Institute; Ms. Michelle Martin from Compliance Aid; Mr. Roland Kissoon, representing Checkpoint Software; Ms. Keiyia George, COO of RKG Consulting; Mr. Brendan Rooney and Mr. Matthew Dybas, of CyberBloc; Mr. Indar Ramcharan, from Ernst and Young; PKF’s Mr. Jamie Drummond; Ms. Lisa Maria Alexander of JMMB Trinidad and Tobago; and Messrs. Brett Ramirez and Chad Ramirez, from Diagon Consulting Inc. Common themes threading through the various presentations included the importance of compliance, agility and the need to remain viable through creativity and innovation.
The conference ended on a high note with a thought-provoking presentation by motivational speaker – Ms. Karlyn Percil-Mercieca. A former banker and now CEO & founder of the SisterTalk Leadership Academy & Group; Ms. Mercieca spoke to participants about cultivating positive thought processes in the workplace and training the brain for success.
The CAACM board of directors was re-elected and Mrs. Simon expressed her thanks on behalf of the board to sponsors, presenters, and delegates for making the 2019 conference a success.
