CIBC Caribbean Announces Major Leadership Appointments

PRESS RELEASE

St. John’s, Antigua, March 31, 2026. CIBC Caribbean has announced two significant leadership appointments, signaling a strategic strengthening of its Country Management Office across the Caribbean.

Ladesa James-Williams, formerly Head of Country for Antigua, has been elevated to the role of Senior Director, Country Management Office.

 In her new capacity, she will support the execution of strategic projects at the country level, spanning both internal and regulatory-led payment strategies. She will also take on responsibilities in next-generation talent identification and mentorship, while serving as a key partner to senior leadership and supporting all Country Heads across the region in fostering commercial and operational excellence.

As an immediate priority, James-Williams will support leadership transitions currently underway in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and The Bahamas. In TCI, she will additionally serve as Country Head, subject to regulatory approval.

A seasoned banking professional, James-Williams brings a wealth of regional experience to the role, having previously served in Barbados, St Kitts, and St Lucia before returning to Antigua.

Over the past five years, she has supported Personal and Business Banking (PBB) sales across the Eastern Caribbean islands, and her background in Corporate and Private Wealth management further positions her to lend strategic support to senior members of the CIBC Caribbean Country Management Office team.

CIBC Caribbean leadership described the appointment as an important step toward strengthening both the mandate and capacity of the Country Management Office, expressing confidence that James-Williams’ experience and dedication would boost the office’s effectiveness in achieving organisational objectives and supporting development priorities throughout the region.

With James-Williams transitioning to her new role, Priscilla Leonce has been appointed Head of Country for Antigua, also subject to regulatory approval.

Leonce brings more than 37 years of distinguished experience in the banking industry to the position.  Recognised as a dynamic and results-driven leader, she has built a proven track record in revenue growth, credit quality, and relationship management throughout her career.

Her professional journey spans multiple banking disciplines, including Human Resources, Customer Service, Operations, and Credit Management — a breadth of experience that has afforded her a well-rounded and strategic understanding of banking operations.

 Notably, she also served in Tortola as Credit Manager, where she specialised in structuring and writing corporate credit facilities, deepening her expertise in credit governance and portfolio management.

Leonce’s outstanding contributions have been recognised through multiple CIBC Caribbean FirstStar Awards, as well as the prestigious Annual CEO Award in 2023.

Both appointments reflect CIBC Caribbean’s continued commitment to investing in regional talent and reinforcing strong, experienced leadership across its Caribbean operations.