GUIDED by the mantra, “Where there is a will, there is a way”, Kareem Tomlinson, general manager of JMMB Securities Limited, has embraced the twists and turns of the journey that has led him to where he is today — at the helm of JMMB Group’s equity-related business line.

Tomlinson is a proud alumnus of Campion College and credits his alma mater for helping to shape the man that he is today. He traces the roots of many of his closest friendships to his days of running up and down on Campion’s Deep Dene football field. Cricket, however, he describes as his ‘first love’. He captained Campion’s cricket teams at all levels and still vividly recounts hearing his coach, the late Wilbert Parkes, shouting from the pavilion: “Play straight!” — instructions that, at the time, were meant to teach him how to hold the cricket bat but which have since come to mean so much more.

Playing straight is an axiom that Tomlinson continues to be guided by and which today serves as a reminder that in working hard to achieve your goals you must never compromise on your integrity or cut corners.

While at Campion, Tomlinson decided that a career working with numbers would play to his strengths. He subsequently went on to pursue a degree in actuarial science at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) and was well on his way, having completed two years of the programme. However, like many young men, he fell prey to the freedoms and intoxicating social scene of university life. This resulted in a decline in his academic performance.

At this time the appeal of becoming an actuary had also begun to wane as the further 10 to 15 years of studies that it would require no longer intrigued him. With this revelation he approached the dean of the then Faculty of Social Sciences seeking to change his course of study to a double major in mathematics and economics. He, however, hit a major roadblock when he was told by the dean that no such programme was offered by UWI and that, based on his academic performance, he was not deserving of any form of special consideration. Tomlinson, however, did not take no for an answer. He was relentless in his goal to convince the dean that he was worthy of a second chance.

After weeks of pleading his case Tomlinson was permitted to pursue the additional courses required to complete the double major. With this new drive he went on to deliver a stellar academic performance and graduate with this double major, creating a path where none previously existed. Today, a double major in mathematics and economics is among UWI’s more popular offerings.

Tomlinson commenced his career in finance as an express transaction officer at JMMB. While there he was drawn to the JMMB culture, noting that, “It didn’t matter how senior or junior the person was, he/she was always willing to help you to foster your interest, and I appreciated that.”

His work ethic and aptitude propelled him to the role of market risk analyst in which he had the opportunity to put to use his analytical skills in solving complex investment problems. He was also able to work closely alongside the Trading and Treasury Department, which he describes as the engine of the business at the time.

“It was there, sitting in the heart of it all, that my love affair with finance began,” he said.

Determined to bolster his finance career, he pursued the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Financial Risk Management (FRM) programmes while continuing to work full-time. It was a difficult four years, and Tomlinson credits the support of his then-manager, Dale James, who kept him on track to complete the programmes successfully.

“To date, the CFA programme has been one of my most challenging, but also one of my most rewarding experiences. It took a lot of sacrifices but the programme equipped me with the knowledge required to further my career and allowed me to forge close bonds with several other industry professionals with whom I would have spent many nights studying and going through the torturous journey.”

As a CFA charter holder he is one of fewer than 100 professionals locally with this designation. Together with a number of fellow charter holders, Tomlinson worked to establish the local CFA Society of Jamaica in 2018, helping to build the society’s brand and supporting other financial professionals in pursuit of charter status and the body of knowledge that the programme offers.

His next move was joining JMMB’s newly established Capital Markets Unit where he supported the analysis, due diligence, structuring and distribution of all investment banking transactions. This exposure to capital markets also uncovered a niche area of investments that further piqued his interest – private equity. Being no stranger to shaping new roles in uncharted territory, Tomlinson took up the mantle of heading the JMMB Securities portfolio in 2018. Four years later he lists as one of his greatest accomplishments the launch of JMMB’s first private equity investment vehicle — Vertex SME Holdings Limited (Vertex). Vertex provides equity financing to growing mid-sized companies to fuel growth while also providing investors with alternate investment opportunities that generate above-average returns.

In sharing about this unique offering from JMMB, the seasoned investment professional notes, “I relish the opportunity to provide patient, long-term financing and technical support to companies that have scalable potential as this remains a challenge for many growing, mid-sized companies and is exactly what Jamaica needs at this time to support the national growth agenda.”

Tomlinson also currently serves as a director on the boards of DRT Communications Ltd and Key Insurance Company Ltd. Additionally, he represents the JMMB Group on a number of external associations such as the Caribbean Alternative Investments Association, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the expansion of private equity, venture capital, real estate, private credit, mezzanine financing, and other alternative investments in the Caribbean; and First Angels Jamaica — the Caribbean’s first angel investor network which focuses on financing early stage companies in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. He proudly boasts that through its associations, the JMMB Group is able to provide financing in various forms — whether directly or indirectly — to companies across all developmental stages.

Tomlinson shares that his journey into the world of investments and subsequent career growth was made smoother because of the guidance he received from veterans who always “looked out for me and provided sound career advice that ensured I was always able to dance between the raindrops”. He makes specific mention of Rockann Crawlle, Paul Gray, Keisha Forbes, Keisha Bailey, Karl Townsend, Hugh Duncan, Julian Mair and Keith Duncan who each, at different times during his career, would have mentored him and played critical roles in his success. He now aims to pay it forward by taking a keen interest in young professionals, lending guidance and a listening ear so that they too can make their own mark in the world of finance.