Photographer: Michael Gordon

Heading off to the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, Russia in a matter of days, our sit-down at Ribbiz at the Acropolis, Barbican Centre with reigning Miss Universe and BCW Capital Portfolio Advisor Kerrie Bayliss could have been seen as a preparatory mock question and answer round. Needless to say, Bayliss passed with flying black, green and gold colours.

What are you sipping?

A Rex-Goliath Moscato from Argentina.

What kind of day are you having?

Very hectic, I’m trying to get everything done in one week before I head off to Moscow for the international Miss Universe competition on November 9, with a brief stop in New York City for winter shopping essentials.

What are your beauty essentials?

I’m a make-up girl, so my essentials would have to be eyeliner, mascara, concealer (for those long, hectic days), eyebrow pencil, bronzer and petroleum jelly.

Who does your hair?

Roxanne Shields of Roxanne’s.

Who does your nails?

Two sisters, Stacey and Charlene, at Nail Impressions.

What perfume are you spraying?

Can Can for Women by Paris Hilton.

Describe your personal style?

Very chic, sophisticated and classic, but slightly sexy with a fun twist. I wear a lot of solid whites (if I want to go fresh) and blacks (when it’s time to make a sexy statement) as that palette gives a very clean look to any outfit. I like clothes to accentuate me and not themselves.

Flats or stilettos?

Definitely stilettos! As a pageant queen it has to be.

Jeans or LBD?

LBD.

What’s your idea of the perfect man?

Is there such a thing (laughs)! My core requirements for my ideal man would be loyalty, honesty and a good sense of humour; a man who is very genuine and caring.

What’s your idea of the perfect date?

I’m a big foodie; my friends tease that the way to my heart is through my stomach. So my perfect date would be dinner that allows for a nice one-on-one conversation. If he can cook that’s a bonus! But I know how nerve-wracking a date can be, so a restaurant is just as fine.

What bad habit would you most like to put in your rear-view mirror?

I am guilty of biting or fiddling with my nails. I think I’m my nail ladies’ nightmare (laughs)!

Who is your inspiration?

My parents – especially my dad. My mum lives in Spain. So, it’s just me and my dad, who’s always been an excellent support system; even now, in the capacity of ‘pageant dad’. When it comes to facing or tackling challenges, he never gives up; which really inspires me. He’s a loyal, dedicated, hard-working individual. And, of course, there’s my mother – a strong, beautiful mother of four. They’re my superheroes.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

I’m very focused on what I do as a career and I really do want to be a success at it. So hopefully five years from now, I would have attained a very accomplished position or level in banking.

What’s next for you at BCW Capital?

I’ve been with BCW Capital for a year. I really enjoy my current role there, on the individual client side of the business, as I’m naturally a people person. Obviously, I do want to progress within the company whether in a supervisory role or head of a department. We’re a small boutique company as it is, which allows me to learn as much as I can from all the department heads. I could really go in any direction, so – watch this space!

Do you foresee a long future in finance?

My background is really law; that’s what I studied but I’ve taken a wonderfully unexpected detour into finance, which I’ve really been enjoying. So in a word – absolutely!

What strategy will you employ to bring home the Miss Universe crown?

Be fabulous every day! At the end of the day it is a beauty pageant, so first impressions count. Luckily, I’ve had a fantastic team and supportive well-wishers who have been working with me to see to that mission statement. Another strategy is to be myself and try to stand out, so that parties involved can see who I am and what I represent.

What have you learned from your previous pageant experience to keep you in good stead this time around?

When I won Miss Jamaica World, I was in the middle of school; I was a 20 year-old girl, who never really followed beauty pageants nor was I the most put-together at that age – it wasn’t my focus. Having been through that experience I’ve grown so much and have blossomed into the woman you see before you, which will help me this time around at the Miss Universe competition.

Who are your favourite Jamaican pageant queens of all time?

I would have to say Terri-Karelle Reid and Sara Lawrence. I worked very closely with them when I was Miss Jamaica World, and they are absolutely beautiful women inside and out. My two other favourites are Cindy Breakspeare – to me, she is a timeless, classic beauty; and Yendi Phillipps, who has done incredible things with this pageant platform.