Regional sales manager with Scotia Insurance, Michael Isaacs (left), has the attention of Winston Ellis, pharmaceutical sales representative, and wife Yvette Ellis at the Scotiabank cocktail reception.

WESTERN BUREAU:

Soothing jazz music graced the evening as guests converged on the manicured lawn for an evening of wise advice on finance and pension investments.

Scotiabank did it again - pulling out all the stops to increase its chunk of the market share of the Montego Bay business community. This time, the cocktail reception was held at the Bellefield Great House in Fairfield, near Granville, on Monday night.

Scotiabank also seized the opportunity to officially introduce its newly appointed president and chief executive officer, Bruce Bowen, to a wide cross section of the Montego Bay community, as well as to introduce its ScotiaBridge personal retirement product to current and potential customers.

Amazing marketplace

Bowen said Montego Bay remains an amazing marketplace for his organisation, which adds to the bank having a positive outward view of the western city.

"Scotiabank has such a great legacy in Jamaica and it is something that we recognise within the institution. Because of the history and tradition of the bank being established in Jamaica for 120 years, Jamaica has always been referred to as the jewel of our international franchise," Bowen said, adding that the bank has franchises in more than 50 countries.

Vice-president and general manager of the Scotia Jamaica Life Insurance Company, Jacqueline Sharp, also brought some positive news to the clients, explaining how the ScotiaBridge pension scheme works.

"The ScotiaBridge is an individual savings vehicle for accumulation of funds for retirement. Contributions are invested in a unitised investment fund with competitive returns," she said.

It is geared towards self-employed persons and individuals working in non-pensionable posts. The plan also carries a number of benefits.

Former Jamaica tennis champion Richard Russell (second right) pulls the smiles out of Anya Schnoor (second left), senior vice-president of Scotiabank's wealth management; Craig Russell (left), son of Richard Russell; Andrea Lyle (third left), investment adviser with Scotia DBG and businessman Mark Kerr-Jarrett. They were attending the Scotiabank cocktail reception held at the Bellefield Great House in Fairfield, Montego Bay. - Photos by Noel Thompson

Acting Custos of St James, Enel Brydson (right), seems passionate, as he talks with businessmen Mark Kerr-Jarrett (left) and Karl Jarrett.

Pauline Reid (left), former president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce, shares company with friends Fernando Bosque (second left), chief executive officer at Montego Bay Airports and wife Deloris Bosque and Phyllis Jones, managing director of Jamaica Dispatch Services.

Something has certainly grabbed these women's attention. From left: Parsha Buddo, Air Jamaica's area sales manager; Sharon Ollivierre, production director at Jones Apparel in New York; Suzann Bowen, wife of Bruce Bowen, and Rosemarie Pilliner, executive vice-president of Scotiabank.

Lee Eisenberg (left) United States-based author, and wife Linda give a listening ear to Scotiabank's President and Chief Executive Officer, Bruce Bowen, at the bank's cocktail reception.