Her name has been synonymous with excellence in the finance sector for decades.
Now, Sharon Christopher has been recognised for her contributions to the business, banking and finance sector with one of T&T’s highest awards, the Chaconia Medal (Gold).
The former deputy chief executive officer of First Citizens Bank, Christopher retired in 2016 and now works as a leadership development coach and motivational speaker throughout the Caribbean.
Christopher also sits on the board of Guardian Media Limited.
In an interview at her home on Wednesday, Christopher said she started her career at the Solicitor General’s office under then-Attorney General, Russell Martineau.
She also worked on the international finance desk, assisting Ministry of Finance staff with applications to borrow money internationally for major capital investments.
“That was my first job, which I loved. The hours were brutal, I left home in the morning, I never came home in the daytime, never. I worked every Saturday and every public holiday for five solid years and I loved every minute of it,” Christopher recalled.
From there, Christopher moved to the Central Bank to work as one of the attorneys on the Deposit Insurance Corporation.
While there, three financial institutions—the National Commercial Bank, Workers’ Bank and Trinidad Cooperative Bank—were set to be closed.
Christopher joined a special management team tasked with creating First Citizens Bank and remained there until she retired in 2016.
She said the first uncertain months of FCB’s operations, when the bank lost hundreds of millions of dollars in investments.
But despite the naysayers, FCB’s operations flourished and Christopher said when the Initial Public Offering was made on the stock exchange in 2014, she was overjoyed.
President Paula-Mae Weekes presents the Chaconia Medal (Gold) to Sharon Christopher while Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley looks on during the 2021 National Awards Ceremony, at President’s House, St Ann’s, Port-of-Spain, Wednesday, March 9.
POOL PHOTOGRAPHER
“I would look at the young ones (employees) and they would be so excited because they were so excited to be part of something so grand. And for people like me, who knew that in the early days, people wanted nothing to do with this bank, I think in the first six months we lost between $400 or $500 million in deposits. Nobody wanted to be part of that and to be there and see people wanting to be a part of this bank, it was such an honour,” Christopher said.
However, a scandal with the IPO shortly after it was launched cast a dark cloud on FCB and Christopher said she was singled out as a scapegoat.
“And imagine this is now 2014 two years before I retire, right? So I built an entire life in this organisation. I’ve given blood sweat and tears, I love the organisation like my child. You know, my child talks about she’s a child of the First Citizens. And then I find myself in this position and it was a very, very low point,” she said.
She was eventually cleared but Christopher said she relied heavily on wisdom passed on by her father and the kindness showed to her by strangers.
She recalled being approached by a union member at FCB, who told her the employees stood ready to assist her if they could.
“She came to my car and said, “You just tell us what you want us to do to support you.” I mean, tears were running down my eyes. And that is what sustained me and I want to see you know if I could say this to people of Trinidad and Tobago, we attack people a lot. And we cut down people a lot but you need to understand there is nothing more uplifting than just seeing somebody in trouble. You don’t have to take sides and instead of cutting them down, reach out to them and show them that you care because that those things matter to me so much,” Christopher said.
And while that was the lowest point of her career, Christopher also reminisced on the highest point of her life—the birth of her only child Kathryn.
But even that joy was marred by the discrimination she faced being a single, pregnant bank executive.
Sharon Christopher and her daughter Kathryn Christopher pose for a photo.
SHIRLEY BAHADUR
“At that time it was quite a scandal there. You have an executive in a bank, you know, not married and having a baby. But nobody said anything about the men in the bank who had children, nobody even cared whether they had children married or unmarried, but that’s the issue that we as women faced, but that that didn’t bother me because I truly believe again that God has had blessed me with Kathryn.”
Christopher said she has always remained grateful for the blessings in her life. She now has a national award to add to that list. She said she did not expect to receive the award.
“I am honoured that I’ve received the award and I felt very honoured and I felt even more honoured that the award would be pinned on me by a female President, who’s also a lawyer. But it’s really like just I envisioned life would be for me and that is how it has become so it was truly an honour and it was also humbling to think that you could be recognised among so many people that you would have admired,” she said.
She offered some advice for young people who are just starting out their careers.
“You need to understand everything passes. So you start off, you decide what feeds you. Do not listen to what people have to say. You get on your journey. You look for support, you know, find people who would support, you mentor or whatever, find friends who would support you and stay away from those who don’t because a lot of people rejoice in your trauma,” she said.
Sharon Christopher poses for a photo with her Chaconia Medal (Gold).
SHIRLEY BAHADUR
