A Bermudian finance executive will head the local branch of a US organisation offering life coaching to underserved young people.

Craig Bridgewater will serve as the first chairman of PeerForward Bermuda and sit on the non-profit’s board of directors.

The nomination comes during PeerForward’s first step towards expanding outside of the US, as well as the organisation’s 30th anniversary.

Mr Bridgewater said: “It is a distinct honour to help lead the establishment of PeerForward Bermuda in order to build upon the work that has been done in Bermuda by the US organisation, in collaboration with Mirrors, to guide senior school students to tertiary educational experiences and careers.

“PeerForward brings 30 years of success in promoting young people to college and university, igniting opportunities that otherwise may not have been realised.”

Mr Bridgewater brings three decades worth of experience sitting on the boards of non-profit and for-profit organisations, as well as charities.

He worked at KPMG Bermuda as a senior manager and later partner before transitioning to Butterfield Group as head of financial and chief financial officer.

He now sits on the Bermuda Hospitals Board as the chairman of finance and audit committee.

PeerForward, formerly known as College Summit, has paired youngsters with adults to help them identify barriers keeping them from reaching their goals and work towards undoing it.

The group has worked alongside local groups such as The Mirrors Programme to assist young people in outlining their plans for college and their careers.

Gary Linnen, the chief executive of PeerForward, welcomed Mr Bridgewater into the organisation.

He said: “Craig, who will chair PeerForward Bermuda and also join the US board, is a venerated leader and we look forward to learning from his insights and understandings of this special market as we chart the course for another successful 30 years.”

Mr Linnen added: “We sincerely thank Mirrors for their indelible collaboration over the past five years.”