Sir Neville Nicholls

Today, we are united in our profound sadness as we commemorate the indomitable spirit and remarkable legacy of Sir Neville Vernon Nicholls—third President and co-architect of the Caribbean Development Bank.  

Sir Neville was not merely a leader within our institution but an influential force charting the course for socio-economic development throughout the Caribbean. 

In March 1971, the Bank had been in existence for about a year when Sir Neville was invited to join the institution as Legal Adviser by the Bank’s first President, the Saint Lucian Nobel Laureate and prize-winning economist, Sir Arthur Lewis. 

A Barbadian by birth, and an Attorney-At-Law and Economist by training, he quickly demonstrated his acuity for legal and economic matters.  

Sir Neville steadily rose through the ranks at CDB to the position of General Counsel in 1975, and then ascended to Vice President, Operations, before his subsequent election to President in May 1988.  He led the Bank through three historic terms until his well-deserved retirement in 2001. 

Under his visionary guidance, CDB made significant progress in tackling development issues head-on, building partnerships, and launching programmes that have indubitably sculpted the economic landscape of our Region.  His adept leadership was marked by a deep comprehension of the delicate balance required to drive sustainable development across the Caribbean region.  

Under Sir Neville's exemplary leadership, the Caribbean Development Bank became a driving force for positive change.  His foresight, strategies and policies led, not only to impressive metrics of success, but also paved the way for a future filled with possibilities for our people. 

Sir Neville possessed a unique combination of vision and practicality, which enabled him to see beyond the horizon, firmly grounded in a clear understanding of the region’s development needs.  His deep empathy for the challenges faced by ordinary citizens, and his relentless pursuit of solutions that would elevate their lives are hallmarks of his tenure.  

As we commemorate Sir Neville, let us reflect on the many roles he played—a legal luminary, a master economist, a mentor to many, and a friend.  

To those of us who had the privilege to work alongside him, Sir Neville was both an inspiration and a reassuring presence.  His legacy compels us to look forward, to innovate, and to work collaboratively for the betterment of our Region and the communities we serve. 

Those who knew him were touched by his steadfast integrity and kindness.  The welfare of the people always grounded his policies, and his warmth permeated his day-to-day engagements. 

On behalf of the Caribbean Development Bank and its staff, we extend our deepest condolences to Sir Neville’s family and friends, with special thoughts to his son Stephen, a colleague of ours at the Bank.  Let us take solace in knowing that his contributions will resonate with, and inspire generations. 

In honour of Sir Neville, we pledge to continue fostering the ideals he championed so fervently.  His spirit will forever be a beacon guiding our endeavours toward a brighter, more resilient Caribbean. 

In this solemn moment of commemoration, as we salute Sir Neville for the last time, we are reminded not only of his exceptional career, nor his strategic leadership that resulted in the region’s advancement.  Today, we remember a man whose humanity was as vast as his intellect, whose optimism galvanised us all, and whose dedication to the Caribbean spirit never waned. 

In the silence of his absence, his life’s symphony plays on—a melody of quiet confidence, profound wisdom, and immutable standards of excellence that will continue to influence and steer us on our shared journey. 

His spirit will forever imbue our institution and the very fabric of the Caribbean.  

Rest in peace, Sir Neville, and may your legacy continue to flourish in the lives you have touched, and in the institutions, you helped to build. 

God bless. 

 

On hearing of the death of Sir Neville Nicholls, I felt a real sense of loss at the passing of yet another Caribbean patriot and loyal public servant. His was a life of service, both to his country, Barbados, and to the Caribbean region in his role as the third president of the Caribbean Development Bank. 
 
I first met Sir Neville when I joined the institution for the first time in 1985 as a Financial Analyst. Sir Neville was at that time, Vice-President serving under the late William G. Demas. 

My initial impression of Sir Neville was that of a modest, soft spoken, straightforward gentleman who listened carefully. He was a committed regionalist and was protective of the institution he served, the people he worked with, the people he worked for, and more importantly, his family. 

I fondly remember one occasion, shortly after my arrival, when Sir Neville took me quietly into his office to caution me about driving my car with a broken rear license plate, even offering to help me have it replaced before I got entangled with the law. All this said with that distinctive smile, glint in his eyes and a chuckle. 

I got to know and understand him even better when I returned to the bank in 1998 to work in the area of corporate policy. It was under his leadership the Bank’s work program was expanded to address environment and disaster management issues. 

His extensive experience in the operations of the CDB meant that Sir Neville was the go-to person on matters of precedence and determination of what the Bank could and could not engage in. He was measured and firm in his views. Even after he retired, his wisdom continued to be available as we were able to call on Sir Neville for guidance, which he thoughtfully and always willingly provided. I am proud to have known him as a leader, mentor, colleague and friend. 

My wife, Anne-Marie Irvine, and I extend our deepest sympathy to Sir Neville’s sons Phillip, Stephen, and Christopher and the extended family. 

Be at peace Sir Neville. Yours was a life well lived! 

It was my privilege and pleasure to work and socialize with Sir Neville Nicholls over several decades starting in the 1980s when I was an academic at The University of the West Indies and he was Vice-President of the Caribbean Development Bank. We were both working in the vineyard of Caribbean development, so to speak, and on one occasion co-authored an advisory report on financing of Caribbean development. Throughout our relationship, I was impressed by his unfailing gentle manner, soft speech, receptiveness to the ideas of others, and deep concern for the welfare of others. 

Sir Neville career was one of unparalleled distinction in the field of law and regional development banking. Having joined the Caribbean Development Bank as General Counsel in 1971, he became Vice-President in 1975 and President in May 1988, a position from which he retired in April 2001. As President, he brought stability to the Bank which had in a relatively short period gone through a series of leadership changes. An important factor was his calm, thoughtful deliberate approach to matters at the level of staff, bank policies and strategic direction, and to the Bank’s interface with all its shareholders. 

He was very important to regional economic deliberations on both short-term and long- term problems and approaches to resolving them. Sir Neville was an active participant especially within the formal framework of the Caricom Heads of Government meetings and other Caricom and regional university forums. He was instrumental in an agreement with the InterAmerican Development Bank to formulate and launch The Economic Reconstruction Programme in 2000 and led the Task Force which held national consultative sessions in Barbados, Grenada, St Kitts- Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines in 2001. 

He also contributed significantly to discussions in global forums, especially focusing on the interests of small developing states. The London Conference on Small States organized by the World Bank and the Commonwealth Secretariat and chaired by Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur was particularly noteworthy. 

Fully conscious of the need to shore up relations with non-borrowing shareholders of the Caribbean Development Bank, he embarked on a series of country visits, to the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy late in 2000, and to Canada, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela early in 2001. 

Sir Neville’s life was one of wholehearted commitment of his intellect and energy to the goal of making the Caribbean a better place for the peoples of the Caribbean. The entire region is indebted to his life of service. 

Like many, here in Barbados and across the region, I was indeed saddened to learn of the passing of Sir Neville Nicholls, third President of the Caribbean Development Bank. Many have been the esteemed tributes recently paid to Sir Neville, although one wonders whether, given his personality, he would have relished the spotlight being shone so brightly on him. Reserved by nature, Sir Neville eschewed the limelight, preferring to work assiduously at the plough and thanks to his labors, we today have an institution of which this entire Caribbean civilisation can justifiably be proud. 

Perhaps he was foremost in the mind of the late William Demas, the Bank’s second President when, at the Bank’s Tenth Annual Meeting in 1980, Demas said “they have labored hard and long and with dedication to the cause of the development of our region and its constituent countries. They could, therefore, do with an occasional expression of thanks.” And so this might be a good opportunity to re-echo Demas’ words of thanks for Sir Neville’s long and meritorious service spanning some three decades to the Bank and by extension this region. 

 For those of us that were fortunate to watch Sir Neville at work, he was “eagled-eye”, perhaps stemming from his legal training, with an unmatched ability to recall events well dated in time. So high was he held in the esteem of his colleagues that no major decisions were taken without his input. Some of his work was indeed transformational, such as unburdening the Bank and its borrowers with the plethora of multi-currency donor agreements and converting these into a Unified U.S dollar fund, thus eliminating the effects of currency fluctuations on borrowers as well as in unifying Procurement Rules. He was also instrumental in shepherding the Bank away from what was viewed as an Infrastructure Bank into the social sectors with a focus on incorporating environmental and poverty reduction considerations into the design of projects. 

As a leader, he was insightful and pragmatic and led with a steady hand while enjoying the loyalty of his charges who saw him as being fair and respectful of meritocracy. He was always accessible and willing to offer some advice. Very mindful of the disastrous fate of a number of Caribbean institutions, he was determined that the Bank would not suffer similarly. He was an unabashed disciple of Sir Arthur Lewis, the Bank’s first President, always enjoining us of Lewis’ dictum that “for a bank to be able to lend money, it must be able to borrow money, otherwise it would go out of existence”. His preeminent concerns were, therefore, to ensure that the Bank was financially sound and underpinned by a strong policy framework before engaging in any form of unrestrained lending. It was this approach to governance that has made the Bank the enduring institution that it is today. 

Perhaps one of his most cherished achievements was when in June of 1992 the Bank secured a AAA rating from Moody’s Investors Services  on its  first launch into the International Capital Markets. Not only was this a reward for his astute leadership of the institution, but it was also a signal achievement for a Caribbean run and managed financial institution, even to this day. 

In the Boardroom where he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors, he modelled civility in the discourse with Directors and was at pains to ensure that everyone in the Boardroom had a voice. He stressed the importance of respecting the international character of the Bank and the need, therefore, for reaching consensus in arriving at decisions.  

But Sir Neville was not all about work. He was always happy to join us in one of those basement fetes or in spending a relaxing evening at the Staff Facilities Building whether to watch a game of cricket or football in which staff might be engaged or merely to have a little “chit chat” with staff. 

In closing let me say that Sir Neville’s contribution to the Bank has rightfully found a place in the development banking landscape of this region and neither the passage of time nor changes in leadership will erase that. 

 May his Soul Rest in Peace. 

When I reflect on my relationship with Sir Neville two aspects immediately come to mind – decency and integrity.  These qualities are essential in an effective leader and Sir Neville exhibited them in spades.  He also displayed great strength as those of us who were exposed to his handling of the CDB’s relationship with shareholders and other international institutions, would attest.  But in some ways, more importantly, was Sir Neville’s loyalty to family, friends and his staff. 

Two personal experiences illustrate the nature of the man: 

I had just joined the Bank – still in a hotel and awaiting my personal stuff to arrive in Barbados.  I rented a house but could not move in because the shipment was delayed. It was then discovered that the container was sent to Bermuda instead of Barbados.  The Human Resources Department (then the Personnel Department) informed me the rules determined that if I stayed in the hotel more than one month, I would have to pay myself – which I could not afford.  Sir Neville intervened and indicated that since I was not to blame for the delay and hence my need to stay in the hotel, the Bank would continue to fund until the situation was “sorted out”. 

During my first member country visit as Director of Projects I was interviewed by the press.  I made a serious error in my response, and it could have put the Bank in a very difficult situation.  On my return to the Bank, I was called by Sir Neville to his office.  I thought I was being fired.  Sir Neville asked me to explain what happened.  He then indicated that he understood and would support me – but “don’t let it happen again.” 

In my view Sir Neville was one of the best examples of a Caribbean Professional who contributed significantly to Caribbean development.  He was a real role model and greatly influenced my own professional development. 

Working with Sir Neville Nicholls during the last decade of his remarkable career remains a highlight of my professional life. I vividly recall Sir Neville greeting me at the airport upon my arrival in Barbados to assume the role of Vice President Corporate Services and Bank Secretary. His warm welcome immediately put me at ease. Over the course of my nine-year tenure, I witnessed firsthand how Sir Neville treated everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of their position — whether they were heads of state, financial executives, administrators or custodial staff. This was a true testament to his exceptional character. 

He possessed a brilliant legal mind, meticulously exploring every perspective with alacrity before arriving at thoughtful conclusions. A superb communicator, he expressed his positions clearly, calmly and courteously. His decisions consistently reflected a deep commitment to fostering economic development across the Caribbean Region. 

In 1992, soon after I joined the staff, I witnessed Sir Neville deliver his inaugural report as president of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to the Board of Governors. He astutely identified the region's challenges and proposed strategies to confront them. He passionately believed that Caribbean nations, despite their size, could compete in an open and expanding global economy. His message to the Board emphasised serving the people of the CDB borrowing member countries, many of whom lived in challenging conditions. He urged unity and prompt action, stressing the importance of moving forward decisively. 

Sir Neville embodied both action and compassion. His legacy endures as a positive force for the Caribbean and beyond. He exemplified the qualities of a true gentleman, an effective public servant and a cherished colleague. His presence will be profoundly missed. 

I should have been first acquainted with Sir Neville in August 1974 at an Interview panel chaired by the President William Demas for the position of Economist at the CDB but I have no recollection of any physical or even verbal contact with him on that occasion. It took me a year to make the formal acquaintance when I joined the Bank and was being officially introduced to Senior Management. He was, then, the Banks sole and first Caribbean national Vice President and also its General Counsel. In fact, his association with the Bank began with its conception and birth as he was the Barbados representative on the regional and international working party that both established the Bank and made Barbados its Headquarters. Our relationship spanned different official and formal capacities: Economist, Director, Economics and Programming Dept, reporting directly to him, and then to succeed him as Vice President (Operations) when he was elected to the Presidency in 1988. It was an honour and valuable intellectual experience working with a professional who was so knowledgeable in general and so intimately involved with the Bank's evolution, committed to regional economic development, who created a conducive working environment and was so generous with his assistance in all forms. 

By nature, and training Sir Neville always stood for justice and fairness; was a stickler for corporate ethics and sound corporate governance; and was more oriented to people than to task. He was soft spoken, but effective in communicating his thoughts and decisions without evoking animosity, antagonism and controversy. He was a humble person except when he was advised that the trappings of power needed to be demonstrably manifested for it to be real power! He was generous in his advice, open and humble in its receipt and balanced and calculated in his decisions. He was reserved and private and separated his public life from his personal life. He, like his mentor, Arthur Lewis, communicated simply and effectively, something he attributed to his classical and legal training, especially in legal draughting. 

His contributions to the Bank are as myriad and diverse as the institution's successes over the last five decades and continuing. This is because of his long association with the Bank at its highest executive and policy levels; his interpersonal attributes that allowed him to work comfortably with staff at all levels and to champion their causes where it was reasonable to do so; and with Nobel Laureate in Economics Sir Arthur Lewis, the Banks first President for its formative four years, established structures and systems, crafted policies and procedures and gave pride, values, vision and a culture that exists and/or evolves to this day. Sir Neville consolidated on the works of Sir Arthur who had an early exit from the Bank but in safe in the hands of capable and principled professionals. When Sir Neville was interviewed on the occasion of the Bank's fiftieth anniversary he attributed a great measure of the Bank's success to its continuing adoption of the policy of dealing with political leaders on a courteous, professional and arm's length basis, never on the basis of personal friendship, and that all lending and financing proposals must be carefully appraised for economic and financial feasibility against pre-established criteria and benchmarks and must have the President's recommendation. 

The crowning achievement is more an attestation of the work of these pioneers who created and nurtured a unique institution serving several small, vulnerable developing mainly island economies but which, through economic and financial restructuring and with regional unity/cooperation have maintained international credit ratings that match that of the richest most highly rated countries in the world. 

Sincere condolences to his family and may the continuing successes of CDB always be a legacy to his memory.