Tesi Johnson, Gleaner Writer
Faye Jacobs, director of Caribbean Integrated Financial Services. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
FAYE JACOBS, executive director of Caribbean Integrated Financial Services Limited, has turned her adversities into opportunities.
Ms. Jacobs, an associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, with 25 years experience working at the senior executive level in banks in and outside of Jamaica, was in the midst of the mix during the meltdown of the local financial sector in the mid-'90s. At the time, she was employed to Citizen's Bank and became caught up in the extensive work of rehabilitation and recovery of portfolios. She was also involved in the merger of four of the intervened banks, one of which was Citizen's, into Union Bank.
"It was my best and most invaluable banking experience," she told Flair, "Despite all the stress, I had garnered valuable insight into why indigenous banks were facing problems, when international banks were flourishing," she explained. With that she wondered, "It isn't every day that a country goes through a financial meltdown, so how best can I use this experience?" After a short hiatus in the Grenadines, she decided to go into the world of training, catering to the indigenous banks.
FIRST TRAINING SESSION
She gave her first training session in 2000 at a local financial institution, where she spoke on 'Underwriting Techniques and Residential Mortgage Loans'. Since then, she has trained across the entire Caribbean and in some parts of South and Central America, in sound banking practices. Her scope spans, management of loan portfolios, risk management associated with lending portfolios, underwriting techniques and general credit control and policies. As outlined by her listeners in evaluation sheets, she has an amazing ability to keep her audience riveted when speaking of such a seemingly mundane topic as banking.
And for as much as people like listening to her speak, Ms. Jacobs enjoys her job. She discovered her penchant for relaying information long before formally attempting to pursue a profession in administering training. "When employees approached me with questions, I found that I would often go off lecturing," she said, "and I enjoyed explaining concepts." Still she admits, "Training is extremely hard work as I have to be constantly reading and upgrading my skills to meet the needs of every institution that calls me." Nonetheless, her zeal for banking and for teaching and training has kept her involved.
"I have a serious addiction to banking", she says in between laughs, "and I believe that God gives you reasoning power to help you help other human beings. My greatest lesson in banking is that the management of risk associated with lending is an ongoing process," she told Flair and in her workshops, she passes on this said concept in a most insightful and interesting way.
REGIONAL TRAVEL
With traveling across the region to give lectures and workshops, one might believe that Ms. Jacobs does not have much time for leisure. She admits to spending most of her "free time," if one may call it so, preparing for future presentations, but this is something she enjoys. Still, she makes time for other activities like visiting off-beat destinations such as Bulgaria and Morocco. She is also intrigued by ancient civilisation and got the opportunity to indulge in that interest when she recently visited the Mayan Ruins while she was in Belize to give a lecture.
Ultimately, she plans to do some writing, probably preparing banking manuals, but she would also like to some day write on some of her personal philosophies. "I was fortunate enough to find my calling," she said, "because some people go through their whole lives without ever discovering theirs." So, through her writing, she would like to help other people unfold their inherent potential.
