STEPHEN Coakley-Wells has been appointed Director of Legal & Government Affairs at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited (BTC).

BTC said in a press statement yesterday that Mr Coakley-Wells replaces Nicole Watkins, director of legal, regulatory and carrier services, who has decided to leave the business after eight years of service.

“Mr Coakley-Wells is an expert and thought leader on financial regulation, risk, compliance, and taxation policy, and joins BTC from the government of Belize, where he was commissioner and consultant advisor at the Financial Services Commission in the Ministry of Finance,” BTC said.

“Prior to that, he was special policy advisor for legal and regulatory affairs for the government of The Bahamas, and Deputy Executive Director of the Securities Commission.

“Mr Coakley-Wells also has extensive experience in the private sector, having previously held senior leadership positions at several prominent financial institutions and legal firms.”