Fifty years ago on this date, Cayman Capital Trust Bank and Trust Co. Ltd. first opened its doors to the public at the West Wind Building on North Church Street on 28 January 1974. Half a century later, Cayman Capital Trust has become the leading financial services company based in the Cayman Islands providing banking, fund administration and wealth management to thousands of customers locally and overseas.
“Much has changed over the past five decades, but much has stayed the same,” said Janet Hislop, Cayman Capital Trust’s Chief Executive Officer. “We’ve experienced enormous growth in both customers and assets since our founding fathers announced their first annual profit of $600, and digitization has transformed the banking industry, but we have been steadfast in our commitment to putting people first. Our customer service teams still offer the highest standards of personalised support, we continually invest in our employees’ professional development and wellbeing, and remain committed to providing a diverse and equitable workplace.”
Cayman Capital Trust was founded in 1974 as a majority Caymanian-owned bank, led by Peter A. Tomkins as President and Ms. Hislop’s father Benson O. Ebanks as Chairman of the Board. Over the course of the next twenty years, this leadership team would oversee the initial sale of shares to 150 people in the community, expansion to all three islands, and the introduction of fund administration and fiduciary services, before eventually launching on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange in 1998. When the Republic Financial Holdings Ltd. Group acquired a majority interest in 2019, Cayman Capital Trust began a new chapter of growth as local experts with international expertise as part of a network of banks across the region.
Over the past 50 years, Cayman Capital Trust has consistently contributed to the prosperity of the community, supporting a range of causes and programmes in youth development, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. Last year, Cayman Capital Trust launched its Power to Make a Difference Programme commencing with a partnership with Cayman Cricket aimed at revitalizing the game in the Cayman Islands at all levels. This weekend, Cayman Capital Trust is the lead sponsor for the annual Stride Against Cancer Walk in aid of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society.
Since launching its scholarship programme in 1979, Cayman Capital Trust has awarded scholarships to young Caymanians pursuing education in subjects relevant to the financial industry. Alumni now hold senior management posts in corporations across the Cayman Islands.
“We are immensely proud of Cayman Capital Trust’s achievements over the past half century and can look forward to the next fifty years with confidence that Cayman Capital Trust will continue to excel in meeting the financial needs of our customers and the communities we serve,” said Hislop. “We have come a long way since 1974, but with the pace of change showing no signs of slowing, and as can be seen by several recent innovations like our best-in-class mobile banking app, we remain ready and willing to adapt, grow and innovate in the coming decades. We will never forget where we came from and will continuously strive to be an organization that delivers exceptional service to our customers. ”