LISA Gomes, former President and CEO of Guardian Asset Management (GAM) has been appointed Director of Finance and Planning for Sandals and the ATL Group. She will replace Patrick Lynch who will now be entering retirement. Gomes will report directly to David Davies who serves as Chief Financial Officer.

Gomes is credited with doing a great job of positioning Guardian Holdings Limited’s subsidiaries in Jamaica and with turning GAM into one of the best licensed securities dealers in the country. A graduate of the University of New Orleans where she obtained a degree in Project Management she became a certified general accountant in June 2003. She has successfully climbed the corporate ladder at the Caribbean insurance giant Guardian, holding a number of key positions. Back in 1997 she was appointed Manager of Investments and Mortgages at Guardian Life of the Caribbean Limited in Trinidad where she became the supervisor. She then moved to Jamaica becoming the manager for Investments, Treasury & Fund Accounting at Guardian Life Limited. After three years in that position she was promoted to president of GAM where she remained till earlier this year.

In August of this year Proven Investments, headed by Peter Bunting and Christopher Williams, acquired GAM. Under Gomes leadership, last year GAM achieved a 31.33 per cent return on average equity. The company ended the year 2009 recording an increase in net profits which came in

at J$463.3 million, a significant improvement on the J$361.4 million recorded for the previous year. Net revenue came to J$812.6 million.

Gomes has spearheaded a number of major deals including Guardian’s entry and exit of the asset management business. She played a pivotol role in raising TT$350 million for Guardian Holdings Limited to purchase 20 per cent of Neal and Massy Limited. She also assisted in raising US$50 million to fund TransJamaica road work. Under her stewardship GAM’s capital grew from J$100 million to J$1.89 billion.

Speaking on this latest appointment, the Chairman of Sandals Resorts International and the ATL Group Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart said: “Lisa Gomes is a formidable professional with an excellent business head. She is one of the best senior financial executives in the Caribbean and we are looking forward to working with her. She has experience with putting together hotel deals. She is the right person for this position and should do very well.”

Speaking with Caribbean Business Report last night, Gomes said: “I am very excited to join the group and am honoured to be appointed to this position. I have worked closely with Sandals on the Boscobel Hotel

and greatly admire how the company works.”