Nassau, THE BAHAMAS – University of The Bahamas (UB) announces the appointment of Ms. Denise S. Barnes, as Vice President, Human Resources, effective Monday 20th May, 2024. With a distinguished career spanning human resources, corporate affairs, corporate communications and administrative compliance, Ms. Barnes brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to this critical role.

Ms. Barnes will advance the university's mission and strategic vision, spearheading initiatives to support our talented faculty and staff as we work and grow together.  She is joining UB at a pivotal moment, when we are directing all our efforts to continuous improvement, as reflected in our journey towards national and international accreditation. 

As the VP, Human Resources, Ms. Barnes will provide creative vision, leadership and strategic management for all human resources functions. This includes setting ambitious goals, analysing strategies to elevate standards, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement in all aspects of human resources and talent management practices. Her priorities will include developing and implementing human resources strategies aligned with our Strategic Vision, overseeing our employee services, designing professional development programmes, and fostering avenues for career advancement. These efforts are vital to supporting employee engagement and satisfaction, and to increasing productivity.

Ms. Barnes' extensive career is marked by notable achievements in various leadership roles in diverse industries. Most recently, she served as the Deputy Chief Operations Officer at the Higgs & Johnson Law Firm and Executive Director of Human Resources at Atlantis Resort and Casino. Former roles include Global HR Capability Consultant for Heineken International in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, impacting markets across Europe, Asia, US, Africa and the Middle East, with an appointment in Vientiane, Laos to develop human resources strategies and initiatives.  Ms. Barnes previously served as Group HR Director for Fidelity Group during which she supported hundreds of employees across The Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands and Turks & Caicos Islands.

Ms. Barnes earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Morgan State

University, Baltimore, Maryland, and an Associate of Arts Degree in Psychology with a Minor in Sociology from the former College of The Bahamas. 

We welcome Ms. Barnes to our community and look forward to the support she can bring to our colleagues in Human Resources and to the University community at large.

Office of University Relations 

University of The Bahamas

2^nd Floor, Michael H. Eldon Complex

Oakes Field Campus, University Drive, Nassau, The Bahamas Phone: 242.302.4454/242.302.4365

universityrelations@ub.edu.bs | www.ub.edu.bs 

University of The Bahamas stands as a proud beacon of national transformation. With an illustrious legacy spanning 50 years, the institution has cultivated a rich tapestry of academic diversity, impactful research engagements, and transformative collaborations. UB has in excess of 22,000 alumni, more than 4,000 students, with locations in New Providence, Grand Bahama and San Salvador. Our students are shaped as not merely scholars, but as dynamic global citizens able to navigate the challenges of a global society.