Industry veteran April Thomas has joined Walkers Professional Services Bermuda as a director and will lead the fiduciary and regulatory compliance teams.

WPS said Ms Thomas has extensive experience navigating the Bermuda regulatory environment with more than a decade of experience in the provision of fiduciary and corporate governance services to a variety of Bermudian corporate and trust structures.

Prior to joining WPS, Ms Thomas worked as counsel and compliance officer at a boutique trust and corporate services provider with offices in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.

She is a professional member of the International Compliance Association, a certified anti-money laundering specialist, and a qualified trust and estate practitioner. She sits on the Bermuda branch committee of the International Compliance Association.

Partner Jonathan Betts said: "We are delighted to welcome April to our growing team. We see the provision of professional services as a vital part of our Bermuda strategy and, when combined with our leading legal services, we are well placed to provide both domestic and international clients a unique integrated service."

WPS said it has been strategically strengthening its offering in Bermuda, with Ms Thomas’ appointment expanding the team to 12 on-the-ground staff.

In 2021, the Bermuda team added Otelia Scott, director of corporate services, and Karen Crowe, a chartered secretary who provides bespoke corporate secretarial and governance support services to Bermuda companies.

This year, Walkers said, it will be launching innovative Bermuda regulatory compliance services, including independent AML audits, AML/ATF training programmes, and provision of outsourced AML officer roles, in which Ms Thomas will be highly involved.

Ms Thomas said: "I am delighted to have joined Walkers and look forward to working with some very talented and well regarded colleagues.

“I am particularly excited to be involved in Walkers' ambitious project to provide the jurisdiction with market leading regulatory compliance services which will greatly benefit and strengthen Bermuda businesses."

The global WPS team was recently lauded as being the 'Best Offshore Fund Administration Services' provider for a fourth consecutive year in Creditflux's fifth annual CLO Census for services provided to the global collateralised loan obligation market.