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Basseterre, St. Kitts – March 11, 2025 – A beacon of leadership, excellence, and groundbreaking achievements, Mrs. Jennifer Nero has been bestowed the prestigious Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) for her exceptional contributions to sports and banking. This honour, part of the King’s Birthday 2024 Honours, celebrates Mrs. Nero’s unwavering dedication to national and regional development through her pioneering efforts in the financial sector and cricket administration.

A proud daughter of St. Kitts and Nevis, Mrs. Nero’s career is a testament to the heights of excellence one can attain through perseverance, innovation, and a deep-rooted passion for service. As the former Managing Director of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), a role she held from 2005, she played a critical role in strengthening the financial architecture of the Eastern Caribbean. Her leadership and strategic vision helped shape policies that bolstered economic resilience in the region.

However, her impact transcends banking. In 2011, Mrs. Nero made history by becoming the first female to be appointed to the Board of Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). This historic milestone shattered gender barriers and paved the way for greater female representation at the highest decision-making level of West Indies cricket.

“This Board of Directors is honoured to now have at the highest decision-making body of West Indies cricket the counsel and advice from the critically important female perspective,” remarked then-President of the WICB, Dr. Julian Hunte. “We welcome Mrs. Nero to the board and look forward to her astute and professional contributions as we continue to work towards moving West Indies cricket forward.”

Mrs. Nero, who served as a non-member director for two years, embraced this role with humility and purpose. “It is with great pleasure that I humbly accept my appointment by the Board of Directors of the WICB, and I thank the board for affording me the privilege to serve our regional community,” she stated. Her tenure on the board saw her advocating for greater inclusivity and professional development in West Indies cricket.

Beyond the boardroom, Mrs. Nero’s commitment to sports is deeply personal. A former athlete herself, she was a proud member of the St. Kitts National Netball Team and represented the Federation at the World Netball Tournament in 1979. Her dual expertise in sports and finance has uniquely positioned her as a transformative leader whose contributions continue to shape multiple sectors.

An accomplished academic, Mrs. Nero holds a Certified Public Accountant certificate from the state of Maryland, an Advanced Management Programme Certificate from Harvard Business School, and an Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme Certificate. She also earned an MBA in Information Technology from Johns Hopkins University and a degree in Accounting from Southeastern University in Washington, D.C.

Today, as Mrs. Nero receives the O.B.E., the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis stands proud of her extraordinary achievements. Her legacy as a trailblazer in banking and sports administration is one of empowerment, resilience, and pioneering leadership.

Her story is not just one of accolades but of inspiration—proof that with vision, dedication, and courage, barriers can be broken, and legacies can be forged. Congratulations to Mrs. Jennifer Nero, an icon of excellence, on this well-deserved honour!