Dennise Williams, Staff Reporter
NORMAN GRINDLEY, Staff Photographer -
File photo of Aubyn Hill, former group managing director of the National Commercial Bank, speaking on Wednesday, October 13, at the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association. The occasion was the launch of the 'Buy Jamaican, Build Jamaica' campaign and essay competition. Mr. Hill will part company with NCB on November 30.
IN A surprise, if not shocking announcement, Aubyn Hill, the man considered in many quarters as the voice and ears of the National Commercial Bank (NCB), is stepping down as managing director after only two years.
Yesterday, he handed in his resignation to the board of directors to take effect next Tuesday, November 30.
Patrick Hylton, deputy group managing director, will assume the position of acting group managing director, effective December 1, 2004.
Mr. Hill told The Gleaner yesterday that he wanted to have more free time to go after "personal interests". He said, "I have had two wonderful financial years as the head of NCB and I have been in banking over 26 years. I am in good health and so I will be going after personal interests."
While Mr. Hill will no longer be the head of the second largest commercial bank in the island, he says he will not be leaving Jamaica. "I am still a substantial shareholder in the bank and I have lots of friends here. My mission is to continue to build a
better Jamaica," he stressed.
NCB, in a terse statement, said: "The board of directors of National Commercial Bank Ltd. wishes to advise the public and our shareholders that it has today, November 25, 2004, accepted the resignation of the group managing director, Mr. Aubyn Hill, effective November 30, 2004. Mr. Patrick Hylton, the present deputy group managing director, will assume the position of the acting group managing director on December 1, 2004."
Yesterday Raymond Campbell, president of the Bankers' Association of Jamaica
and country manager (Jamaica) of FirstCaribbean International Bank, was hesitant to comment on Mr. Hill's departure from NCB.
"NCB is more than one person (and) I am sure that NCB will work to retain the confidence of its customers. Mr. Hill is not the first and definitely not the last senior manager to leave a financial institution in Jamaica, because no one lives forever," said Mr. Campbell.
AUTOCRATIC MANAGEMENT STYLE
Mr. Hill's detractors contend that he has resigned because the NCB staff could no longer bear his autocratic management style. To this, he replies, "Everybody has a different management style. I have written extensively in the press about my method of management and I believe the numbers speak for themselves. In the two years that I have been in charge, NCB has reached new heights of profitability. I want to add how proud I am to have worked with Michael Lee Chin and been a part of all the charities and education initiatives spearheaded by NCB."
And in his usual debonair manner, Mr. Hill added, "I wish Patrick Hylton all the success in the world."
Mr. Hill was the former head of the National Bank of Oman but jumped at the opportunity to return home just over two years ago.
