The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) announces the appointment of Mrs. Kathleen Smith as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with effect on April 2, 2012. The appointment, which is for a five-year term concludes a competitive search began in June 2011.

Mrs. Smith brings a portfolio of strong regulatory experience to the position. In 2000, she joined the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which preceded URCA, as a Financial Analyst, and later held the position of Senior Case Officer. In January 2011, she was appointed Director of Policy and Regulation. In this capacity, she has been the Authority’s most senior executive since August 2011, when the CEO position became vacant.

A Certified Public Accountant, Mrs. Smith’s professional experience includes posts in the offshore and local financial sectors, prior to her work as a regulator.

Institutional capacity building is one of URCA’s core priorities. The appointment of Mrs. Smith as URCA CEO underscores the Authority’s organisational principle to build local capacity, as URCA continues to shape its leadership and staffing resources based on the regulatory demands for specialised professional needs in economics, finance, communications, law and telecommunications engineering.