Cayman Finance CEO charts bold path for 2026 at Cayman Captive Forum
Steve McIntosh, chief executive of Cayman Finance, opened the final day of the Cayman Captive Forum 2025 with a wide-ranging address outlining the organisation’s achievements over the past year and its strategic direction for 2026.
Reflecting on the vision he articulated during his chief executive interview three years earlier—an industry “thriving and supporting the community to its full potential”— McIntosh emphasised that the foundation of this vision has always been relationships: with members, intermediaries, government, regulators and, most importantly, clients.
This ethos, later distilled into Cayman Finance’s mission of enhancing the success of members, clients and the broader community, underpins the organisation’s brand message: Let’s Thrive Together. McIntosh noted that in an interconnected global landscape, no island—literally or figuratively—can operate in isolation. He praised the Cayman Finance team for embodying this principle as they promoted the jurisdiction around the world, singling out associate director Brittany, whose extensive international outreach has elevated Cayman’s profile within the insurance and reinsurance sector.
McIntosh outlined the organisation’s two major priorities in 2025: global promotion and talent development. Cayman Finance participated in a record 95 events across more than 30 cities, a level of engagement he aims to build on in the coming year. Equally significant was the organisation’s work to support Cayman’s talent pipeline. He commended IMAC and conference attendees for their ongoing contributions to the IMAC Scholarship Fund, which has supported 90 Caymanians through their academic journeys.
In response to a government challenge to reduce unemployment among returning graduates, Cayman Finance identified gaps in opportunities among small and mid-sized firms. The organisation launched the Cayman Finance Graduate Training Programme, enabling 15 Caymanian graduates—equivalent to 10% of the entire local cohort—to begin their careers. McIntosh acknowledged the leadership of associate director for community engagement, Daniel Hennings, and thanked several captive insurance community partners for their active participation.
Looking ahead to 2026, McIntosh announced two new strategic priorities: product development and public relations. In the first area, Cayman Finance aims to more systematically capture, analyse and develop feedback and ideas gathered during international outreach. With a new product development specialist joining in mid-2026, the organisation intends to work closely with public-sector partners to advance initiatives that improve the jurisdiction’s competitiveness.
The second priority—public relations—responds to persistent misconceptions about the Cayman Islands in international media. McIntosh stressed that the goal is not confrontation but education, ensuring global audiences understand the reality of Cayman’s robust regulatory framework and high standards.
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