(CNS): More than 55 years since the company was founded, Caribbean Utilities Company has appointed its first woman board chair. Following a meeting of shareholders on Tuesday, Sheree L. Ebanks was confirmed as the head of the board of directors, replacing David Ritch, who retired after 33 years of service as a board director at CUC. Ebanks was elected to the CUC board in 2014 and has been chair of the Audit Committee since 2020.

Ebanks is the chief executive officer of the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants (CIIPA) and chair of the Cayman Islands Public Service Pensions Board. She is also a member of the board of the RBC Royal Bank.

Speaking about her appointment, she said she was honoured to be the first female board chair, as she acknowledged what she said was the great work Ritch had done. Saying she was looking forward to working with the directors and the executive team, Ebanks said, “I am proud of the work the company has undertaken in the area of diversity, both on the board and within the company itself.”

CUC’s President and CEO Richard Hew welcomed Ebanks to the senior post. “She has a wealth of knowledge and experience with the Company and enjoys the full support of fellow directors and management as she leads the board into a new era. Our company continues to make strides in the area of diversity and we are proud of the fact that we have a number of knowledgeable and talented women serving on our Board of Directors,” Hew said.

Eleven individuals were elected to the CUC Board at the meeting, including six female directors. Peter A Thomson, who served as executive director, president and CEO of CUC for 19 years and as a non-executive director for a further 18 years, also retired from the board.