JENNIFER SIMPSON-JAMES,
FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE BOARD, GOVSTRAT LIMITED
CORPORATE SECRETARYSHIP PROGRAM LEADER/FACILITATOR/CONSULTANT
Education:
Certificate in Legal education– Norman Manley Law School, Mona Jamaica; LLM, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Ontario, Canada;
LLB. Upper Second Class Honours, Cave Hill, Barbados;
The University of the West Indies,
B.A. (Economics) First Class Honours, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica.
Jennifer Simpson-James is a trained economist (BSc, First Class Hons., UWI), an Attorney-at-law, LLM (Osgoode, Canada) with approximately 25 years as a General Counsel, Legal Advisor, and Corporate Secretary for some of Jamaica’s largest Public Bodies and private sector firms spanning energy, financial services, and public utilities, and with significant experience in corporate commercial law, finance and securities environment – proven expertise and excellent track record relative to project finance, corporate restructuring, divestments, investments, divestments, international business, economic development, procurement, regulation & compliance issues, administration, governance and delivery of corporate secretarial services.
Proficiency in drafting legal instruments, ensuring best practice, risk management, and strategic planning for organizational effectiveness. Jennifer has demonstrated the ability to address corporate governance issues objectively and equitably and to resolve disputes, conflicts, and “deadlocked” matters with clients, corporate bodies through non-litigious processes, negotiation, intense investigation, and utilization of administrative procedures. She is a Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional, Certified Procurement Specialist, and serving Learning Facilitator/Trainer in Corporate Governance for Board Directors and Corporate Secretaries at GovStrat Limited.
Ms. Simpson-James has served in executive management positions at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica and Group companies – undertaking and monitoring all legal activities relative to the energy sector of the Corporation and related entities – Coordinated legal and company secretarial activities of all Group companies viz governance compliance and regulatory matters; National Investment Bank of Jamaica Limited, where she spearheaded legal Team in the successful divestment of several strategic government-owned/controlled entities (Jamaica Public Service Company Limited, Sangster’s International Airport, Caribbean Cement Company, Sugar Estates) and advised the Managing Director and Board of Directors on all legal matters relating to the Company including USAID’s PL 480 Programmes, negotiated and prepared legal agreements including Subscription, Equity, joint venture, and Shareholders’ loans and equity Agreements.
In Toronto, Canada, she worked at Keith Katzman & Kramer, Toronto, Ontario, Canada – Legal Assistant; Attorney General’s Department – Ministry of Justice, Ontario, Canada – Legal Research Assistant and the Securities Commission, Corporate Finance Department, Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations, Toronto, Ontario Canada – Legal Assistant.
Jennifer James is the recipient of many academic awards some of which include the Mary Seacole Lantern Award for Achievements in Law, Attorney General (Ontario) Graduate Fellowship in Law, Sir Fred Phillips Award – Constitutional Law, University of the West Indies Graduate Scholarship (Economics), L. E. N. Ashenheim Law Fellowship, Esso Oil Company Bursary, Student of the Year, Faculty of Arts and General Studies (UWI, Mona).