• Shelly Bend is a trained lawyer with significant experience in governance, regulatory compliance, and strategic oversight. She has practised in both litigation and transactional contexts and has spent over a decade in senior in-house roles within a leading global trust and corporate services group.

    Her responsibilities included regulatory liaison and compliance oversight in jurisdictions across the Caribbean and Latin America. She has led the merger and restructuring of regulated entities in inter alia Anguilla, Barbados, The Bahamas, British Virgin Islands and Nevis. She has also overseen licence applications and obtained regulatory approvals, and maintained direct engagement with supervisory authorities in the  jurisdictions for which she was responsible. Shelly has been formally approved by regulators as a director in several international financial centres.

    In addition to regulatory governance, Shelly has led corporate governance and strategy development initiatives, ensuring alignment between mission, vision, strategic objectives, organisational design, policy frameworks, and operational execution. Her approach integrates board oversight with practical implementation, ensuring that governance frameworks are proportionate, effective, and embedded throughout the organisation.

    Through Legacy Consulting Services Limited, Shelly supports organisations seeking to enhance governance maturity, build stronger boards, and create sustainable long-term value. Her perspective combines legal rigour, operational insight, and a deep understanding of regional governance realities.

    She is recognised for her disciplined, analytical approach and her ability to translate regulatory and governance requirements into structured, operationally sound systems.

    Shelly is called to the bar in Barbados (non-practising), British Virign Islands and Nevis. She currently chairs boards in BVI and Barbados.

  • 2001

    B.A, International Studies & Spanish (Cross Cultural Communication), Houghton University, NY, USA

    2002-2012

    Foreign Service Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, Barbados

    2007

    MSc. Management, University of Surrey, UK

    2009

    Bachelor of Laws, University of the West Indies (Cave Hill), Barbados

    2011

    Legal Education Certificate, Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad

    2012-2015

    Attorney-at-Law (private practice)

    British Virgin Islands

    2015-2018

    In-House Legal/General Counsel

    • Trident Trust Company (BVI) Limited, British Virgin Islands

    2018-2025

    Legal Director

    • Trident Trust Company (BVI) Limited, British Virgin Islands

    2019-2025

    Independent Non-Executive Director

    • Bahamas

    2020

    Non-Executive Director

    • Hong Kong (until 2025)

    • Nevis (current)

    2021

    Non-Executive Director

    • Panama (until 2025)

    • Barbados (current)

    2022-2026

    Non-Executive Director

    • Anguilla (until January 2026)

    2025

    Chairman

    • British Virgin Islands (current)

    • Barbados (current)