Ladesa James-Williams

Mrs. Ladesa James-Williams is presently Director, Retail Sales OECS & Country Head Antigua.

She is a product of public school education having attended Bolans Primary School, Antigua Girls High School and Antigua State College followed by studies at UWI St Augustine where she obtained a double degree in Chemistry and Management.

She began her career in banking in 2001 with her employment at Barclays Bank PLC as a management trainee and worked in Retail and Personal Banking in Antigua, Corporate Banking in St Kitts, Human Resources in Barbados, and International Wealth Department in The Bahamas. Ladesa also completed assignments as Corporate Manager in Antigua; Senior Corporate Manager in Barbados; Country Manager of St Kitts & Nevis and Director, South EC having responsibility for Grenada and St Vincent and Country Head St Lucia.

She serves as Trustee on CIBC FirstCaribbean’s ComTrust Foundation which manages the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility activities focusing on Youth & Education; Health & Wellness and the Community and Environment. She is also a Director of the Eastern Caribbean Automated Clearing House Services Incorporated, Director on the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra Board and Director Antigua and Barbuda Chamber of Commerce. She is also the immediate Past President of the Bankers Association in St Lucia and currently serves on the Antigua and Barbuda Bankers Association.

Under her leadership FirstCaribbean International Bank St Lucia was awarded Bank of the Year 2019 for Customer Service by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and the feat was repeated in 2020 when FirstCaribbean International Bank Antigua won the award.

She was the recipient of the Antigua & Barbuda National Young Professional of The Year Award 2012 and is a graduate of FirstCaribbean Senior Leadership Development Programme through Harvard Business School.

In December 2020 Ladesa published her first children’s book “Zane Visits Costa Rica” fulfilling a lifelong dream. She is a sports fanatic, a self-professed foodie and mother to 6 year old son Zane and 2 year old daughter Zary.

Her personal motto is “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.