Our History

1999

The St. James Trust Company (“SJTC”) was incorporated under the laws of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas as a restricted bank and trust company. SJTC was owned by Financiere Worms & Cie (“FWC Group”) of Geneva, Switzerland, a subsidiary of Worms et Cie, a Paris, France based industrial and financial services conglomerate with a history dating back to 1848. The Permal Group is an alternative investment asset management subsidiary of Worms et Cie. Learn More

SJTC submitted an application to the CBB to upgrade its license to an unrestricted bank and trust company. SJTC changed its name to The St. James Bank & Trust Company Ltd. (“SJBT”). Learn More

The ownership of SJBT was transferred intra-group to The Permal Group Ltd. (“PGL”) as a result of FWC Groups reorganization to consolidate the wealth and alternative asset management of its business. Learn More

Legg Mason, Inc. (“LM”) acquires an 80% interest in PGL with the right to acquire the remaining 20%. SJBT provides lending, custody and administration services to clients within the PGL group. Learn More

LM merges its alternative investment management subsidiary, PGL, with EnTrust Capital to create EnTrustPermal (“ETP”) and retains a majority 65% interest. ETP becomes a global alternative asset management firm with $26 billion of AUM for high net worth and institutional investors. Learn More

ETP consolidates its alternative investment platform and decides to divest of SJBT. St. James Partners (“SJP”), financed by a group of sophisticated financial services executives, enters into a share purchase agreement to acquire SJBT upon approval of the CBB.

SJP receives approval from the CBB to complete the acquisition of SJBT. The new business plan of SJBT is to solely focus on fund finance – providing custody, administration, and financing services exclusively to investors, borrowers and lenders involved in hedge funds, private equity funds and privately held companies.

Our singular focus is to attract buyers, sellers, borrowers and lenders involved in hedge funds, private equity funds, private company stocks and other less liquid alternative assets to the SJBT liquidity platform to utilize our financing, custody and administration services. Learn More

Management and Team

Management

Bernard Kemp

Bernard Kemp is a Chartered Accountant with over 20+ years of experience in the financial services sector. Mr. Kemp currently serves as the President of St. James Bank & Trust Company Ltd. (“SJBT”), where he has been employed since 2005. During his tenure at SJBT, Mr. Kemp has held the positions of Financial Controller and Vice-President, Finance and has contributed to a number of areas with the larger operational and accounting management functions as well as information technology support and implementation. Prior to his time with SJBT, Mr. Kemp was previously employed with Private Investment Bank Limited as Financial Controller, and Ernst & Young, providing accounting, auditing and assurance services to a wide variety of clients including banks and investment firms.

Dion Thompson

Dion Thompson currently serves as Vice President and Secretary of SJBT, where he has been employed since 2003. During his tenure at SJBT, Mr. Thompson has also served as Assistant Financial Controller, MLRO and Fund Accountant. Prior to his employment with Permal, Mr. Thompson served as a member of the operations and accounting staff at Deltec Banking Corporation Ltd. and a junior member of the Treasury Department at Citibank N. A. Mr. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from the University of Western Ontario.

Team

Bernard Young, Compliance Officer; 30+ years experience encompassing Law Enforcement, Regulatory (FIU) and Private Banking Compliance.

Anastacia Brooks, Senior Associate; 18+ years of experience in financial services and securities trading.

Kelsi Williams, Associate; 36+ years of experience in banking operations, client accounting, mutual fund accounting and administration.

Shanressa Smith, Analyst, 12+ years of experience in banking operations and administration.

Joash Boyd, Junior Accountant; 5+ years of audit experience with a portfolio focused on the banking industry, both commercial and private. Risk assessment, internal control operations, and financial statement review.

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