Cayhill, Sint Maarten — Local professionals Nathalie Tackling and Emilio Kalmera recently joined the APS Board as members. The APS Board now consists of four persons: Shaira Bommel, Arjen Alberts, Kalmera, and Tackling. There is still a vacancy for an independent Chairman of the Board.
Nathalie Tackling is a Sint Maarten native with an extensive background in corporate and legislative law. She obtained two Masters of Laws: one in Trade & Corporate Law from the University of Maastricht (Netherlands) and one in Intellectual Property Law from the George Washington University School of Law (Washington, DC).
Upon her return to Sint Maarten, Nathalie started her career as a civil law litigator. She then worked for VanEps Kunneman VanDoorne and later for the Raad van Advies (Council of Advice), where she developed specialized knowledge of public policy and complex constitutional issues. In addition to her work at the Council of Advice, one of Tackling’s proudest moments has been establishing the Saba Legal Aid Desk, the first of its sort in the Dutch Caribbean, which provides free legal advice to Saban residents. In addition, Tackling is president of the SXM Moot Court Foundation, helping high school students develop various court skills.
In April 2020, Tackling founded her own boutique firm: Tackling Law. She will be joining the board of APS as the representative of the Committee of Civil Servants Unions (CCSU).
“My professional activities are like a marriage of different things I enjoy: critical thinking, analyzing situations, and problem solving. It is my honor to now employ these skills for APS”, said Tackling.
Sint Maarten-born Emilio Kalmera gained over 20 years of professional experience in banking, financial policy advising, board memberships, and investing across the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Belize, Anguilla, and England. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Finance & Accounting in 2001 from the University of the West of England and is currently Senior Financial Policy Advisor for the Government of Sint Maarten, Managing Director of Nykal Holding and Management Company in Anguilla, and the head of training in Second Chance Recruitment and Training Agency N.V.
Kalmera is also an entrepreneur, avid investor, and a private pilot. He gives numerous trainings and presentations in money management and financial planning and hosts his own radio show on 98.1 Pearl FM (“For the Love of Money”) to help improve financial literacy on the island. Recently, Kalmera resigned as a Supervisory Board Member of St. Maarten Harbour Holding Company N.V. to take up his new position as representative of the Minister of Finance in the APS Board.
“I strive to be a catalyst for change. With every opportunity, I give my efforts to help people discover the optimal balance and connection among their personal, professional, and spiritual lives”, commented Kalmera.
“I am grateful for Minister Irion’s recent approval of these new board members for Algemeen Pensioenfonds Sint Maarten. Their swift appointment was an important step in the process towards completion of the APS Board, in which only the position of chairman is currently still vacant”, said APS Director Nadya Croes-van Putten.
