Cable Bahamas Group Offers A Closer Look At Their Women in Leadership

Highlighting the Vice Presidents of Finance for Both REV and Aliv

The Cable Bahamas Group continues to celebrate its Women in Leadership Campaign, an initiative designed by the Cable Bahamas Group to celebrate 10 of its most senior female executives and expand the conversation about gender parity at every level in the workplace. The dynamic duo being highlighted in this article share the same title of VP of Finance for sister companies REV and Aliv within the Cable Bahamas group. They also share a similar start to their career paths in finance, having both begun their professional journey as staff accountants in two of the foremost accounting firms in the world.

Nerika Burrows, VP of Finance at REV. Ms. Burrows began her career in finance at Price Waterhouse Coopers as a staff accountant. After passing her CPA exams and becoming certified, she moved into the offshore banking industry which led her to the fields of Captive Insurance and Banking and Trust. After consecutively working with a number of foreign entities, Ms. Burrows determined that she wanted to take her talents to a local company. “I remember making a conscious decision back then that I wanted to work for a Bahamian company in the next phase of my accounting career – which landed me at Cable Bahamas as Director of Finance. From there I moved onto International Finance at Paradox Security Systems, where I held the position of Global CFO and General Manager for the Bahamas Office. The next few years I worked in the Bahamas Securities Industry at BCSD and then I was finally reunited with my former colleagues back at Cable Bahamas – after rejoining the company in 2019 as the VP of Finance.”

Nicola Roy, Aliv VP of Finance began her journey as a staff accountant at Ernst and Young. “Fresh out of college, Ernst & Young was a great training ground providing structured training and exposure.” During her time at Ernst and Young Mrs. Roy completed her CPA exams and worked mostly on financial services clients. After spending several years there, she joined the finance division of Atlantis. “That experience was a good introduction into operations. I quickly learned the benefit of partnering with non-financial operations and the need to understand business and how every department in the company contributes to the value proposition of an entity.” She then stepped out of financial operations and moved into the Human Resources Division. She credits that experience with the cultivation of her soft skills via the opportunity to delve into human capital management. She also noted that powerful female role models made a critical impact on her journey. “In both organizations, early on in my career I worked along with women who held senior roles from being the first Bahamian partner in a major accounting firm, to leading the Human Resources Division for the largest single private employer in the country. In 2016 – I answered the call and joined the Be Aliv team shortly after launch as the Director of Financial Planning and Analysis. Since joining Aliv, I have held the position of Director of Finance and now VP Finance of Aliv. I have had the good fortune of working with a leader who has stretched me and provided opportunities for me to develop and grow by taking an interest in my career and advancement.”

When asked about what she finds most rewarding about her work, Mrs. Roy said, “I enjoy being part of such a dynamic industry where there are continual learning opportunities. It’s never boring – everyday is a NEW Day!”

Ms. Burrows highlighted the profound personal connection she feels to her work and the capacity to make a tangible impact. “I love that a career in Accounting and Finance has limitless possibilities. I would also say that the diversity of tasks keeps it rewarding. We enjoy being called on to help predict and prevent risks associated with new products and future ventures, implement and monitor software solutions, analyze large sets of data and help with staffing issues. Finally, finance work aligns with my personality. I am highly organized, logical, and reliable. My job allows me to use both the left (analytical) and right (creative) sides of my brain. At Cable Bahamas I love being able to work across the teams, I love that my team and I are the “Go To” resource group that provides all the financial intelligence that guides the business.”

Ms. Burrows offered this advice to women in any workplace. “Being and bringing your best self – your authentic self to work every day produces the best results for you and the organization. I have learnt that hard work always pays off. Listen to your inner self (which comes from above) and let it guide your decisions. Finally, that growth should be constant, not only in your work life but in every other part of your life.

Mrs. Roy says the secret to her success is seeking to add value, “I always work to add value to my company, my staff, and myself. Further, I stay grounded in my faith, I do my best to stay humble and to learn from my mistakes instead of beating myself up – and to take an interest.” She went on to praise the entire Women in Leadership Initiative saying, “I applaud the Cable Bahamas Group for such an outstanding program. There is much to do to break through the glass ceiling, but it’s through initiatives such as these that the wider community is reminded that women are also capable of successfully holding senior leadership roles. There are cracks developing in the ceiling and hopefully with continued “noise”, focus and hard work, the ceiling will break.”