Katie Booth awarded John Lawrence Trailblazer Award at STEP Bahamas Conference

Opera is pleased to announce that Katie Booth, Group Head of Private Office, has been awarded the John Lawrence Trailblazer Award by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

The John Lawrence Trailblazer Award recognises very senior professionals in the financial services industry who have made significant contributions in thought leadership across trust, estate, succession, family governance and wealth planning. Recipients are recognised not only for their professional leadership but also for mentoring the next generation of industry professionals and helping to advance the sector on an international scale.

Katie Booth was recognised for her longstanding contribution to the industry, including her role as one of the founding members of STEP Bahamas, where she played a key role in establishing the branch and acting as its chair. Her work has helped support the continued growth of the professional community in The Bahamas and contributed to the jurisdiction’s standing within the global wealth planning sector.

Katie received the award during this year’s STEP Bahamas conference, which was attended by members of the Oak Bahamas leadership team including Fiona Poole, Managing Director, Cappucienne Richardson, Deputy Managing Director and Acquilla Aranha, Senior Trust Officer.

Reflecting on the recognition, Katie said:

“I am touched and honoured by this recognition. I remember vividly Geoffrey Shindler walking into my office at MeesPierson in the Spring of 1996 and asking me if it would be feasible to establish a branch of STEP in The Bahamas and whether there was a need for the educational platform it offered to trust and estate practitioners. Thirty years on, we remain an active, informative, professional body that provides vital education, networking and visibility to our valued members domestically and internationally.”

Earlier this year, Katie was appointed Group Head of Private Office at Opera, leading the strategic development of the group’s global private office offering. In this expanded role, she brings together Opera’s cross jurisdictional expertise to deliver an integrated service for clients and their advisers. The private office focuses on governance, complex asset structuring, succession planning and next generation stewardship, supporting international families and businesses as they build and protect their legacies.

Katie led the Bahamas business from 2018 prior to the appointment of Fiona Poole as Managing Director and Cappucienne Richardson as Deputy Managing Director in January of this year and she continues to serve as an Executive Director on the Oak Bahamas Board.