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BONITS

Leadership Team

Mr Michael Prest

Mr Michael Prest is a seasoned strategic investor with a strong track record of growing successful businesses across a range of industries and sectors in Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe. He Is often described as the consummate negotiator.

Mr Prest identifies opportunities and invests in businesses that have the potential for growth, disrupting sectors and challenging the established players. Throughout his career, he has specialised in natural resources, financial services and property, creating a property portfolio yielding more than 150% returns over a ten-year period.

Mr Prest’s latest ventures are Bank of Nevis International (BONI) and Bank of Nevis International Trust Services (BONITS). There, he is currently focused on growing the Bank’s global footprint and diversifying its wealth management offerings and migration investment services by extending its current inclusive outreach mandate into fast-growing economies across Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia. Mr Prest is also exploring how the Bank adopts ESG awareness to develop new products that will deliver both a lasting social and economic development impact for small island states, including St. Kitts & Nevis, and sustainable high yield return for its wealth management clients. He sees aligning investing outcomes with ESG fundamentals as being a cornerstone of the New Normal in the post pandemic vaccinated world.

In the past, his business activities have been pioneering, disrupting established networks in several markets. In Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Cameroon and Nigeria, his initiatives broke the established import and export chains in soft commodities. He also disrupted the monopolistic supply chains in the downstream oil sector in numerous countries across the African continent, such as Nigeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Mauritania and Sudan.

Mr Prest’s long track record in business has prioritised ventures that have generated an economic and social dividend in the countries he has worked. For example, in 1989, he arranged one of the first pre-finance facilities in cocoa for the ‘Office National de Commercialisation des Produits de Base’ (ONCPB) in Cameroon. Soon after that, in 1992, he broke the back of an existing arrangement and re-pointed the Crude Oil & Coffee export barter deal for Tanzania, saving the country tens of millions of dollars. In 1997, Mr Prest arranged the first Time Swap, worth US$180 million, for Ghana’s National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), enabling Ghanaian refineries to operate and thus averting petrol shortages and allowing the country maintain critical gasoline supplies for the general public. In 1999, he established the template for oil product imports to Nigeria – notably, a template that is still used today – thus revolutionising the oil trade sector. In 2000, Mr Prest arranged an oil product import facility for the then new Government of Laurent-Désiré Kabila, allowing the DRC to provide gasoline to its newly liberated people. In 2006, Mr Prest was a first mover independent in oil exploration in Tanzania, snapping up by way of competitive tender the Tanga, Latham and Kimbji exploration assets.

Furthermore, through his investments, Mr Prest has always focussed on giving opportunity and empowering marginalised groups. In his executive roles across soft commodities and oil he made a point of always giving opportunities to young people in Africa and the Caribbean, and ensured senior positions in his businesses, often in male-dominated sectors, are representative. Currently, at BONI and BONITS, women occupy a majority of the senior leadership and managerial positions. Mr Prest also co–founded the UK Powerlist, an initiative that showcases the 100 most influential people of African or African-Caribbean heritage in the United Kingdom. He has championed the educational needs of inner – city children in London and serves as a mentor to young people under the UK, Urban Synergy programme. Mr Prest serves as a trustee to the Amos Bursary which was founded to help talented people of African and Caribbean descent have the opportunity to excel in education. Madiba, Nelson Mandela, described Mr Prest’s efforts as those made by someone who never forgot the importance of helping others.

Mr Michael Prest

Mr Michael Prest is a seasoned strategic investor with a strong track record of growing successful businesses across a range of industries and sectors in Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe. He Is often described as the consummate negotiator.

Mr Prest identifies opportunities and invests in businesses that have the potential for growth, disrupting sectors and challenging the established players. Throughout his career, he has specialised in natural resources, financial services and property, creating a property portfolio yielding more than 150% returns over a ten-year period.

Mr Prest’s latest ventures are Bank of Nevis International (BONI) and Bank of Nevis International Trust Services (BONITS). There, he is currently focused on growing the Bank’s global footprint and diversifying its wealth management offerings and migration investment services by extending its current inclusive outreach mandate into fast-growing economies across Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia. Mr Prest is also exploring how the Bank adopts ESG awareness to develop new products that will deliver both a lasting social and economic development impact for small island states, including St. Kitts & Nevis, and sustainable high yield return for its wealth management clients. He sees aligning investing outcomes with ESG fundamentals as being a cornerstone of the New Normal in the post pandemic vaccinated world.

In the past, his business activities have been pioneering, disrupting established networks in several markets. In Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Cameroon and Nigeria, his initiatives broke the established import and export chains in soft commodities. He also disrupted the monopolistic supply chains in the downstream oil sector in numerous countries across the African continent, such as Nigeria, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Mauritania and Sudan.

Mr Prest’s long track record in business has prioritised ventures that have generated an economic and social dividend in the countries he has worked. For example, in 1989, he arranged one of the first pre-finance facilities in cocoa for the ‘Office National de Commercialisation des Produits de Base’ (ONCPB) in Cameroon. Soon after that, in 1992, he broke the back of an existing arrangement and re-pointed the Crude Oil & Coffee export barter deal for Tanzania, saving the country tens of millions of dollars. In 1997, Mr Prest arranged the first Time Swap, worth US$180 million, for Ghana’s National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), enabling Ghanaian refineries to operate and thus averting petrol shortages and allowing the country maintain critical gasoline supplies for the general public. In 1999, he established the template for oil product imports to Nigeria – notably, a template that is still used today – thus revolutionising the oil trade sector. In 2000, Mr Prest arranged an oil product import facility for the then new Government of Laurent-Désiré Kabila, allowing the DRC to provide gasoline to its newly liberated people. In 2006, Mr Prest was a first mover independent in oil exploration in Tanzania, snapping up by way of competitive tender the Tanga, Latham and Kimbji exploration assets.

Furthermore, through his investments, Mr Prest has always focussed on giving opportunity and empowering marginalised groups. In his executive roles across soft commodities and oil he made a point of always giving opportunities to young people in Africa and the Caribbean, and ensured senior positions in his businesses, often in male-dominated sectors, are representative. Currently, at BONI and BONITS, women occupy a majority of the senior leadership and managerial positions. Mr Prest also co–founded the UK Powerlist, an initiative that showcases the 100 most influential people of African or African-Caribbean heritage in the United Kingdom. He has championed the educational needs of inner – city children in London and serves as a mentor to young people under the UK, Urban Synergy programme. Mr Prest serves as a trustee to the Amos Bursary which was founded to help talented people of African and Caribbean descent have the opportunity to excel in education. Madiba, Nelson Mandela, described Mr Prest’s efforts as those made by someone who never forgot the importance of helping others.

Stephen Agbeyegbe,
Chief Operations Officer

As Bank of Nevis International Trust Services Inc.’s (BONITS) Chief Operations Officer, Stephen works alongside other senior team members to support the Chief Executive Officer and the board on key strategic matters. Stephen oversees BONITS’s operations to achieve its business plan objectives, including performance management, boosting productivity and efficiency across all departments, identifying growth patterns, and encouraging a positive working culture within the business. Stephen is a driven, well rounded professional with extensive business development, risk management and leadership experience with a proven record of consistently delivering commercial and legal solutions to international corporates. His previous roles include representing Hallmark Cards UK; Cargill Inc.; Carl Bro International AS; and General Motors Inc. within Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean. With a career spanning more than 30 years, Stephen bolsters BONITS’s geographic reach to support clients in new emerging markets.

Stephen Agbeyegbe,
Chief Operations Officer

As Bank of Nevis International Trust Services Inc.’s (BONITS) Chief Operations Officer, Stephen works alongside other senior team members to support the Chief Executive Officer and the board on key strategic matters. Stephen oversees BONITS’s operations to achieve its business plan objectives, including performance management, boosting productivity and efficiency across all departments, identifying growth patterns, and encouraging a positive working culture within the business. Stephen is a driven, well rounded professional with extensive business development, risk management and leadership experience with a proven record of consistently delivering commercial and legal solutions to international corporates. His previous roles include representing Hallmark Cards UK; Cargill Inc.; Carl Bro International AS; and General Motors Inc. within Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean. With a career spanning more than 30 years, Stephen bolsters BONITS’s geographic reach to support clients in new emerging markets.

Rachel Ritfeld,
Vice President Business Development

Rachel is Bank of Nevis international Trust Services Inc.’s (BONITS) Global Business Development lead, responsible for identifying and supporting new clients to achieve their global ambitions through Migration Investment / Citizenship-by-Investment, Company Formation and Trust & Multiform Foundation Services. Rachel is fluent in Dutch and English with a strong understanding of French and German which aids her in her role at BONITS. Her multilingual skillset has also enabled her to work across Europe in her previous career ventures in the entertainment industry.

Julie Williams-Bedford,
VP Trust and Fiduciary Services

Julie is Bank of Nevis International Trust Services Inc.’s (BONITS) VP for Trust and Fiduciary Services. Julie advises clients on trust formation and is a diligent administrator, obtaining and reviewing relevant documentation, seeking legal advice when necessary and ensuring applications and procedures are compliant with regulations. Julie has been leading on BONITS’s trust and fiduciary services since June 2020 and has a strong track record in managing trust formation applications through a number of previous roles over more than 20 years.

Idona Browne,
AVP Migration Investment

As AVP Migration Investment, Idona leads Bank of Nevis International Trust Services Inc.’s (BONITS) liaison and external communications with St. Kitts & Nevis’ Citizenship-by-Investment Unit on behalf of client applicants. Idona, who has more than 25 years of managerial experience in banking and financial services, carries out the first stage due diligence on all applications when a client begins the process and confidentially manages the personal documentation required.

Siean Williams,
Accountant

Siean has over 20 years of accounting and financial control experience in both the public and private sectors. As Bank of Nevis International Trust Services Inc.’s (BONITS) dedicated Accountant, Siean administers payroll, manages overall income and expenditure, compiles financial statements, tax planning services and other account analysis responsibilities to ensure that BONITS is adhering to its business plan objectives.

Ann Bussue,
First Point of Contact

Ann is the first point of contact for Bank of Nevis International Trust Services Inc. (BONITS) where she receives and responds to client enquiries regarding Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) products and packages. Ann manages the organisation’s administrative responsibilities by handling business logs and all associated documentation on behalf of CBI applicants in a confidential and efficient manner. In the past four years, Ann has obtained substantial clerical and client management experience with the Nevis Reformation Party’s Youth Arm, Hector and Nisbett Law Firm and the St. Kitts & Nevis UN consulate in New York City.

Rachel Ritfeld,
Vice President Business Development

Rachel is Bank of Nevis international Trust Services Inc.’s (BONITS) Global Business Development lead, responsible for identifying and supporting new clients to achieve their global ambitions through Migration Investment / Citizenship-by-Investment, Company Formation and Trust & Multiform Foundation Services. Rachel is fluent in Dutch and English with a strong understanding of French and German which aids her in her role at BONITS. Her multilingual skillset has also enabled her to work across Europe in her previous career ventures in the entertainment industry.

Julie Williams-Bedford,
VP Trust and Fiduciary Services

Julie is Bank of Nevis International Trust Services Inc.’s (BONITS) VP for Trust and Fiduciary Services. Julie advises clients on trust formation and is a diligent administrator, obtaining and reviewing relevant documentation, seeking legal advice when necessary and ensuring applications and procedures are compliant with regulations. Julie has been leading on BONITS’s trust and fiduciary services since June 2020 and has a strong track record in managing trust formation applications through a number of previous roles over more than 20 years.

Idona Browne,
AVP Migration Investment

As AVP Migration Investment, Idona leads Bank of Nevis International Trust Services Inc.’s (BONITS) liaison and external communications with St. Kitts & Nevis’ Citizenship-by-Investment Unit on behalf of client applicants. Idona, who has more than 25 years of managerial experience in banking and financial services, carries out the first stage due diligence on all applications when a client begins the process and confidentially manages the personal documentation required.

Siean Williams,
Accountant

Siean has over 20 years of accounting and financial control experience in both the public and private sectors. As Bank of Nevis International Trust Services Inc.’s (BONITS) dedicated Accountant, Siean administers payroll, manages overall income and expenditure, compiles financial statements, tax planning services and other account analysis responsibilities to ensure that BONITS is adhering to its business plan objectives.

Ann Bussue,
First Point of Contact

Ann is the first point of contact for Bank of Nevis International Trust Services Inc. (BONITS) where she receives and responds to client enquiries regarding Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) products and packages. Ann manages the organisation’s administrative responsibilities by handling business logs and all associated documentation on behalf of CBI applicants in a confidential and efficient manner. In the past four years, Ann has obtained substantial clerical and client management experience with the Nevis Reformation Party’s Youth Arm, Hector and Nisbett Law Firm and the St. Kitts & Nevis UN consulate in New York City.