Pulse Investments has announced the appointment of Hilary Phillips as its interim chairman until a permanent replacement is decided on following the death of its founder and former chairman, Kingsley Cooper, who died on June 18.

Phillips, a retired justice of the Court of Appeal, is a founding director of Pulse Investments and has a deep institutional knowledge of the company’s business and operations, according to a release from the company.

“Pulse is an important cultural institution to Jamaica and the Caribbean. Since inception, we have had an impact on the international fashion centres through our world-rated models. More recently, we have expanded into the areas of hospitality and construction and we are committed to building on the remarkable foundation established by our late chairman, Kingsley Cooper. I am honoured to serve as interim chair of the company with which I have been so closely involved from its very beginning,” Phillips was quoted as saying in the release.

The release outlined Phillips’ credentials, outlining that she has 13 years experience as a judge and over 30 years practising as an attorney-at-law in areas including civil litigation, complex commercial transactions, banking and finance, insurance, building construction claims, real estate, arbitration (local and international), intellectual property, and industrial relations.

Appointed justice of the Court of Appeal in 2009, Phillips served until 2021. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Phillips has been president of the Jamaican Bar Association and vice-president of the Organisation of Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations and a member of the General Legal Council.

She has held a wide range of directorships, serving on the boards of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, Petrojam and The National Dance Theatre Company. Phillips is also the policy advisory chairman for the Jamaica National Group of companies.