A total of five Bermuda professionals have won qualifications from the Institute of Directors (IoD).

Sara Schroter Ross, 33, legal counsel at the Bermuda Commercial Bank, achieved a distinction in the diploma in company direction — the first Bermudian woman and the youngest person in Bermuda to do so.

She is also only the third Bermuda resident to achieve diploma status with the London-based institute.

Ms Schroter Ross is joined by Allan Marshall, an investment consultant and independent director, Andy McComb, CEO of Charles Taylor in Bermuda, Cora Lee Starzomski, CEO of Kattegat, and Tracy Packwood, a director of Cohort Ltd, who all achieved a distinction in the certificate in company direction exams.

Rochelle Simons, chairman of professional development at IoD Bermuda, said: “These candidates join a growing pool of professionals who have sought certification through the Institute of Directors’ chartered director programme.”

There is now nine men and six women in Bermuda who are holders of the certificate in company direction.

Ms Simons added that this year candidates who start the certificate course in February will be able to complete it inside the calendar year.

Those starting later courses, in April, September and October, will finish in 2017.

Ms Simons said those who want to do the diploma course, a three-day case study experience, at present have to travel to London, but it is hoped that as the number of certificate holders on the Island grows the 15-candidate IoD minimum to run a course in Bermuda will be reached.

The certificate course includes four courses, role of the director, the director’s role in strategy and marketing finance for non-financial directors, the director’s in leading the organisation, plus a final examination.

The certificate courses are led in Bermuda by expert consultants recruited by the IoD in London.

For more information, contact IoDBda.Education@gmail.com.