Michaela Bethell

Commonwealth Bank Ltd. (Bahamas)

It is our sincere pleasure to share with you Commonwealth Bank's history that underscores our five decades of unparalleled growth, financial accomplishments and tradition of service excellence, beginning with those very first modest steps on Wednesday, April 20th, 1960. Conceived as a small consumer finance company by the late Sir Roland Symonette, The Bahamas' first premier and his partner Peter Paul Saunders, former head of the Canadian Laurentide Financial Corporation, Commonwealth Industrial Bank began as a single desk operation with three employees. Bahamian Earle Sands was recruited as the first head of this new enterprise along with Lionel Albury and Juanita Grant. The Bank's initial clients represented the accounts receivable, acquired from the Home Furniture Company. This new venture, which continued to operate as a subsidiary of Canadian-based Laurentide Financial Corporation Limited, quickly filled a financing void created by the big multinational banks; by making available an alternative avenue for the average Bahamian wage earner to have access to financing for furniture, home improvement, travel and other consumer needs. Although the Bank looks vastly different from its humble beginnings, it is our commitment to our founding values that allows us to continue to perform at a level that places us among the best and highest performing banks in the country. Not only do we measure performance in financial goals but also in our pledge to assist our communities, whether it be in the aftermath of a hurricane, lending support to our education system or helping our customers affected by the economic downturn. Thank you for choosing Commonwealth Bank as your financial partner.