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Governance

Board Of Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for the strategy, supervision and monitoring of the overall business. The Board has delegated the day-to-day management of the firm to the Executive Committee.

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Lawrence D. Howell

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
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Clément Ducasse

Director
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Ludovic Chéchin-Laurans

Director
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Patrick Zbinden

Director
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Michael Paton

MANAGING DIRECTOR
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James T. H. Lee

DIRECTOR
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Latonia Symonette-Tinker

INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is responsible for the implementation of strategy and for the overall management of the organization, ensuring that the firm meets its goals and obligations to all internal and external stakeholders.

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Michael Paton

Chief Executive Officer
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Luciana Silvera

Chief Operating Officer
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Mikeiko Brown

Chief Financial Officer
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Antoine Lacourt

Head of Capital Markets
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Dominique Braithwaite

Head of Risk
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Flavio Lopes

Head of Client Services
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Nicolette Duncanson

Compliance Officer

Lawrence D. Howell

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

“Lonnie” brings over 40 years of experience in Financial Services and Private Banking. He is the cofounder of EFG International and served as its Chief Executive Officer until June 28, 2011.

Prior to EFGI, he served as Head of Americas at Coutts & Co. International Private Banking from 1989 to 1995 and was responsible for all clients domiciled in the Americas as well as all Coutts & Co’s offices in the US, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman and Latin America. Before this, he also served as Head of Americas and Asia in Zurich of Coutts & Co. From 1986 to 1989, he served as Vice President in charge of Swiss Super High Net Worth Clients at Citibank Switzerland. From 1985 to 1986, he was with McKinsey & Co. LH served as Chief of Staff for the Head of Private Banking for Europe, Middle East and Africa of Citibank from 1981 to 1984.

He started his career as internal legal counsel with Citibank from 1978 to 1981. Mr. Howell holds a BA and JD from the University of Virginia.

Clément Ducasse

Director

Prior to founding Capital Union Offshore in 2013, Clément co-founded Union Capital Group SA in 2006 which has become a highly successful boutique financial advisor specializing in Capital Markets via derivatives & structured solutions dedicated to the private banking sector in Switzerland, Europe & Latin America.

Furthermore, Clément is administrator of Lake Geneva Investments Partners, a FINMA regulated asset manager focusing on niche investment strategies. Clément formerly developed his expertise by working at HSBC Corporate & Investment bank as a derivatives and structured products specialist dedicated to family offices and independent asset managers in Europe.

Clement earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from ESSEC Business School in Paris.

Ludovic Chéchin-Laurans

Director

Ludovic is a Co-founder of Capital Union Offshore Ltd, and served as CEO from inception until 2021.

Prior to this, he was Deputy CEO at EFG Bank AG & member of the Executive Committee of EFG International up to September 2013. Between 2011 to 2012, he served as Managing Director for EFG Bank & Trust in the Bahamas and CEO of the Caribbean Region for EFG International. From 2005 to 2011, Ludovic initiated and managed several banking entities for EFGI: founder and co-CEO of EFG Bank (Luxembourg) SA, CEO and Board Member of EFG Banque Privée in Paris, co-CEO of EFG Bank Madrid and Barcelona, and coCEO of EFG Bank in Denmark.

Prior to joining EFG International, Ludovic Chéchin-Laurans had served in several positions for BNP Paribas Group, at General Inspection from 1999 to 2001, as Territory Head of Compliance for BNP Paribas Bank & Trust and UEB Bank & Trust in Nassau, from 2001 to 2003, and as Head of Private Banking and Deputy CEO for UEB Luxembourg, from 2003 to 2005.

Ludovic holds a MBA in Finance from ESCT (France).

Patrick Zbinden

DIRECTOR

Patrick Zbinden joined Union Capital Group in September 2021 as CEO of Capital Union Offshore Ltd. As of May 1st, 2025, Patrick serves as UCAP Group CEO and CEO of UCAP Bahamas. Prior to joining UCAP, Patrick was the Global Co-Head of EFG Asset Management, which he co-founded in 2010, with oversight responsibility for over $30bn of assets under management, and was also the CEO of EFG Asset Management (Switzerland) SA, based in Geneva. Prior to this, he was in charge of worldwide M&A Integration activities for EFG International, which he joined in 2002. He holds a MSc in Economics from the University of Lausanne, HEC, is a CFA Charter holder as well as a certified Financial Risk Manager from the Global Association of Risk Professionals.

Michael Paton

Managing Director

Michael is the incoming Chief Executive Officer of Capital Union Offshore Ltd. He founded and served as Managing Partner of the leading Nassau-based law firm, Lennox Paton. At Lennox Paton, he assumed the roles of Head of Corporate and Commercial, Investment Funds and Banking and Finance Groups. He is consistently recommended in the legal directories and has been ranked in Band 1 for Chambers Global for many years, including 2025 and Chambers High Net Worth Guide since inception in 2022. Michael is former chairman of the Bahamas Financial Services Board (2002-2004), and a former commissioner of the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (2017-2024). Michael is also a qualified Certified Public Accountant (non-practicing) in the United States. He is called to the Bars of England and Wales, and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas since 1991.

James T. H. Lee

Independent Non-Executive Director

Jim Lee brings over 45 years of expertise from his career in Asset and Wealth Management, Private and Corporate & Investment Banking.

Prior to retirement in 2017, he served as a member of the Executive Committee at EFG International for 16 years. Jim currently serves in a non-executive capacity on various boards. Throughout his career, he has held a number of top level management positions in Switzerland and internationally, including Deputy CEO of EFG International and Chairman of the Credit Committee.

Before this, he worked as a Consultant to UBS in Private Banking, and was the Global Head of International Private Banking for Bank of America. He started his career at Citigroup and worked in a number of positions in London and Asia including being responsible for the UHNWI business in Asia and for the Global Investment Advisory business.

Jim holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering and a MSc in Management Science and Operational Research from Imperial College, University of London.

LaTonia Symonette-Tinker

Independent Non-Executive Director

LaTonia offers over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. She possesses an in-depth knowledge of both Bahamian and international financial laws and regulations, audit and examination guidelines, and best practice techniques for good governance; with expertise spanning across a wide range of Financial Services sectors.

In 2013, LaTonia founded The Bayshore Group LLC, a financial and corporate services provider based in Nassau. She currently serves as the Founder, President, and Managing Director.

LaTonia holds the Certified Anti-Money Laundering and Compliance Specialist (CAMS) designation. She also earned a B.S in Marketing Management from St. Peter’s University and a Law CPE (Accelerated Postgraduate Equivalent to the LLB) from University of London, City University.

LaTonia is the Chairperson for the Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) and sits on the Advisory Board of the Association of Financial Crime Specialists (ACFCS) in Miami, Florida. She also holds board directorships and acts as chairperson for compliance and audit committees for several financial institutions, including banking and investment funds.

Michael Paton

Chief executive officer

Michael is the incoming Chief Executive Officer of Capital Union Offshore Ltd. He founded and served as Managing Partner of the leading Nassau-based law firm, Lennox Paton. At Lennox Paton, he assumed the roles of Head of Corporate and Commercial, Investment Funds and Banking and Finance Groups. He is consistently recommended in the legal directories and has been ranked in Band 1 for Chambers Global for many years, including 2025 and Chambers High Net Worth Guide since inception in 2022. Michael is former chairman of the Bahamas Financial Services Board (2002-2004), and a former commissioner of the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (2017-2024). Michael is also a qualified Certified Public Accountant (non-practicing) in the United States. He is called to the Bars of England and Wales, and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas since 1991.

Luciana Silvera

Chief operating officer

Luciana Silvera is the Chief Operating Officer at Capital Union Offshore, a role she has held since 2014 – when the Bank began operations. Prior to her appointment at Capital Union Offshore, Luciana held senior roles in Private Banking, including serving as the Chief Operating Officer at EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Ltd. Luciana started her career at Banque Paribas and holds a Business Administration and Management degree from the Universidad Católica del Uruguay (UCU, Catholic University of Uruguay), as well as a certification from the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) in Anti-Money Laundering (AML).

Mikeiko Brown-Collie

Chief financial officer

Mikeiko Brown-Collie is an experienced financial professional with a demonstrated history in the banking industry. She currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer & Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Capital Union Offshore, where she has been instrumental in implementing financial strategies and overseeing the bank’s financial operations since joining in 2015. Prior to joining Capital Union Offshore, Mikeiko served as Chief Financial Officer at EFG Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Ltd. and held several roles at Big 4 Accounting firms in North America. Mikeiko is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds a Bachelor of Accounting degree from Florida International University.

Antoine Lacourt

Head of capital markets

Antoine Lacourt is the Head of Capital Markets at Capital Union Offshore, a role he has held since 2015. He oversees the trading and investment strategies for CUB’s private and institutional clients, as well as the Treasury of the Bank. Previously, Antoine held senior roles in private banking and asset management, including Managing Director at EFG Asset Management (France) and EFG Private Bank. He was also a Founding Partner of Sycomore Gestion Privée, later acquired by EFG International Group in 2008. Earlier in his career, he worked at HSBC Private Bank and J.P. Morgan in Paris. Antoine holds a Master’s degree in Finance from NEOMA Business School.

Dominique Braithwaite

Head of risk

Dominique Braithwaite serves as the Head of Risk at Capital Union Offshore, responsible for overseeing the bank’s risk management framework to ensure financial stability and compliance. With over 15 years of experience in risk management, auditing, and accounting, she brings a strong foundation in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and a strategic approach to financial oversight. Before joining Capital Union Offshore, Dominique spent over a decade at KPMG Bahamas, providing audit and advisory services to financial institutions and investment firms. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds a Bachelor of Accounting degree from Florida International University.

Flávio Lopes

Head of client services

Flávio Lopes is the Head of Client Services at Capital Union Offshore, where he leads strategic initiatives aimed at optimizing the bank’s client service offerings and ensuring operational efficiency. With 23 years of experience in the financial markets, Flávio has developed a strong track record in the industry. Prior to joining the bank in 2023, he spent 15 years at Credit Suisse, overseeing key functions in Relationship Management, Middle Office, International Treasury, and Operations. Earlier in his career, he held roles at a Broker-Dealer firm in Brazil. Flávio holds a degree in Economics from Universidade São Judas Tadeu and a Master’s degree in Financial Markets from Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie.

Nicolette Duncanson

Compliance officer

Nicolette Duncanson is a Compliance Officer at Capital Union Offshore with over two decades of experience in Compliance and Auditing. Before joining the Bank in 2017, she served as a Business Manager at Société Générale Private Banking Bahamas Ltd. Nicolette spent over 12 years at Deloitte as a Senior Manager in Audit and Compliance. Nicolette is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Additionally, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Florida International University and ICA Diplomas in Anti-Money Laundering and Compliance from Alliance Manchester Business School.