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Regulatory Authority appoints interim chief executive

Abayomi Carmichael (File photograph by Akil Simmons)

The Regulatory Authority’s director of legal affairs has assumed the position of interim chief executive of the regulator.

Richard Ambrosio is listed on the RA’s website as having taken up the role from Abayomi Carmichael, who was previously chief executive and who was the fifth appointee to the important position in only 11 years.

Mr Carmichael’s name has been removed from the webpage on the RA site listing its team members.

Mr Ambrosio will continue in his role as director of legal affairs in tandem with his new role.

Mr Carmichael, who was formerly senior manager of energy at the RA, took up the chief executive post on January 1 to “assist the RA in its current and future needs to meet both its statutory and additional functions, in its onboarding, and to promote innovation and develop economic conditions that enhance opportunities in the economy for all”.

His appointment followed the introduction of government legislation, The Fuels Bill 2022, which seeks to bring the regulation of the fuel sector under the remit of the authority.

He replaced Denton Williams, who headed the authority before resigning suddenly last summer.

RA CEO revolving door

Abayomi Carmichael was appointed chief executive of the Regulatory Authority on January 1.

Prior to his appointment, Denton Williams assumed the role following the 2018 departure of Matthew Copeland.

Mr Copeland had led the RA for less than two years.

Mr Copeland was one of three people who held the chief executive post for less than two years between 2012 and 2018.

The authority's first chief executive, Philip Micallef, was appointed in October 2012, and the RA started operations in January 2013.

By September 2014, “for personal reasons”, he was gone.

Robert Watson took over in January 2015. But nine months later, he was also gone for personal reasons.

Kyle Masters, then a legal adviser to the RA, became interim chief executive, as he also did between the two previous incumbents.

Mr Copeland was appointed in March 2016 and stepped down in February 2018, when Aaron Smith took the role on an acting basis.

Mr Smith eventually lodged a civil suit against the authority for $74,404 in compensation after his $250,000 contract was cut short.

Mr Williams left a chief operating officer job at Ascendant Group, then the parent company of Belco, and joined the RA in January 2019 as CEO.

He was chief executive of the RA for approximately 3½ years.

The RA Board of Commissioners appoints chief executives to serve for three years but they can be reappointed for one or more terms under the Regulatory Authority legislation.

The Royal Gazette has approached the RA for comment.

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Published December 23, 2023 at 7:59 am (Updated December 23, 2023 at 7:47 am)

Regulatory Authority appoints interim chief executive

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