Kensley McDowall has been elected chairman of the Bermuda branch of The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Mr. McDowall, a Bermudian, is a trust manager with Codan Trust Company, an affiliate of Conyers Dill & Pearman, where he has responsibility for compliance related matters.

"I see STEP as the benchmark of professional achievement and service within the trust industry and I encourage anyone involved with the administration to pursue the STEP qualification," he said.

He has spearheaded the local mentor programme so that young Bermudian students can shine within the Worldwide STEP organisation.

STEP Bermuda is a mature organisation, as old as STEP Worldwide, with Bermuda practitioners who have been members since 1991.

Mr. McDowall's vision is to take the branch to a higher level by actively recognising the founders of the Bermuda branch, such as Alec Anderson who is head of the Private Clients Department at Conyers Dill & Pearman.

By embracing the past and encouraging greater active participation of current membership, the aim is to grow the branch by reaching out to new and potential members.

STEP Bermuda currently has 176 members, of which 115 are full members with the right to use the TEP: Trust and Estate Practitioners, designation.

Referring to his background as a school teacher, police officer, lawyer and currently compliance expert, Mr. McDowall stated he is a firm believer in good governance and in transparency.

He has been active with the local STEP Branch since becoming a member in 2001. He served on the Bermuda STEP Caribbean Conference committee in 2006 and most recently as Deputy Chair. He is also an executive member of the Association of Bermuda Compliance Officers and a Fellow of the International Compliance Association and serves on the new legislation revision committee.

Mr. McDowall is a barrister and attorney at law having earned his LLB Degree from The University of London in 1989. Prior to joining Codan Trust he worked in law enforcement with the Bermuda Police Service and later in the compliance departments of Bermuda Trust Company Limited and Global Fund Services, subsidiaries of the Bank of Bermuda.

He has been called to the Bermuda Bar and the Bar of several Caribbean jurisdictions including St Vincent and the Grenadines.