Driven by passion
RISING ABOVE the odds and excelling is the cornerstone of the life of growing financial industry heavyweight, Sherry Perrier.
Perrier's life in the inner-city communities of Greenwich Farm in Kingston and Waterhouse in St Andrew, being raised in a singleparent home, served as no hindrance for the 25-year-old, who now sits in the seat of commercial financial controller at Digicel, one of the giants in the telecommunications industry in the region.
This achiever has the distinction of being one of the youngest managers in the company, where she oversees financial planning activities, including budgeting and forecasting and analysis for four of Digicel's large markets in the region.
Her climb up the professional ladder at Digicel started only four years ago as a graduate intern, she being one of 10 graduates of a highly competitive pool of over 1,000 applicants, after completing a BSc in the Banking and Finance at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies.
While at university, she was involved in a number of clubs and societies, including The Young Investors' Club and The Banking League.
As a student, she also participated in the Owen James Young Investors Stock Market Competition in 2012, emerging as the winner of the competition's 4th quarter. She generated the highest profit in the history of the competition.
For Perrier, two of her favourite things converged in the competition: youth empowerment
and finances.
Since leaving university and entering the professional world, Perrier has used her talents to engage young people about the importance of education and leading financially responsible lives.
This has seen her paying it forward as a presenter on James’ Investment Quiz, which educates beginners about investing, and as a panellist on Season 5 of Television Jamaica’s ‘Talk Up Yout’, which is a programme about uplifting youths.
Perrier believes education is one of the most valuable tools for empowerment. That drive has led her to receiving several academic and service awards, but what she finds most rewarding is helping young people to realise their dreams.
The Vaz Prep and Campion College alumnus gives back to her alma maters as well as to inner-city youths regularly, as she says she’s on a mission to help persons break the cycle of poverty in their families and communities.
STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM
Perrier attributes positive role models, mentorship, and a strong support system for her growth and success, and wants to see the same for others.
That growth is advancing to another level, with Perrier set to take up a prestigious Chevening Scholarship later this year to pursue a master’s degree in Finance and Management at Cranfield University in the United Kingdom.
The much-sought-after scholarship is given to a professional graduate in early or mid-career, who displays intellectual ability and clear leadership potential, a proven track record of professional excellence and achievement, and has a strong character with integrity and drive, among other criteria.
These qualities surely embody Perrier, and it was no surprise that she will join the ranks of excellent Jamaicans who have received the honour.
She hopes to gain knowledge and experience from the UK to contribute to Jamaica’s development in areas of financial literacy and inclusion, financial empowerment, disruptive innovation in financial services, investments and the development and growth of small and medium enterprises.
Already achieving her dreams through hard work, this young lady is determined and poised to change the face of the Jamaica’s economic climate.
She works hard to rise above any situation as she continues to be a source of hope and inspiration for young people across Jamaica.