Christel Sands-Feaste, Director

Christel Feaste is a highly experienced commercial lawyer with over 25 years’ experience, primarily focused on financial services, securities and investment funds. She has been a Partner in the firm of Higgs & Johnson since 2009, where she currently serves as Chair of the Financial Services, Securities, Investment Funds and Fintech Practice Groups.

Christel provides advice on mergers and acquisitions, financing transactions and securities offerings in The Bahamas and international capital markets, securitizations and investment fund structuring and creation. In addition to her transactional work, Christel regularly advises clients on day-to-day legal issues including regulatory and compliance matters as well as other general corporate, governance and operational activities.

Christel acts for institutional and private clients locally and internationally in the financial services, hospitality, securities, gaming, telecommunications, utilities and fintech sectors. She has led or co-led the transaction teams at Higgs & Johnson on a number of the largest mergers and acquisitions and financing transactions in the financial services and hospitality sectors in the nation; including a recent transaction involving the integration of the two global financial institutions.

Prior to returning to private practice in 2009, Christel served as Vice President – legal for a family office and a leading Bahamian development company.

Throughout her career, Christel has contributed to the development of the legislative framework in the financial services and securities space through her participation in various legislative drafting projects; such as, acting on behalf of all licensed casino operators on a project involving the modernization of the gaming legislation in The Bahamas which culminated in the passage of the Gaming Act, 2014, serving as a member of the Project Committee appointed by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas to advise on the overhaul of the investment funds legislation and acting on behalf of a state owned enterprise on the overhaul of legislation relating to the issuance of rate reduction bonds.

For over 20 years, she has presented extensively at financial services and private client focused conferences in Brazil, Panama, the United Kingdom and the United States, promoting The Bahamas as the premier international financial services jurisdiction. Christel is also a frequent contributor to a number of international publications including, International Comparative Legal Guide, Fintech, Bahamas Chapter (2022-2024) and Chambers Global Practice Guide, Banking & Finance, Trends & Developments, The Bahamas (2021-2024).

Christel is ranked Tier 1, Band 1 in the General Business Law Category in Chambers Global legal directory, as a “Highly Regarded” attorney in The Bahamas in IFLR1000, and is included in the IFLR1000 Women Leaders List for her outstanding contribution as a female lawyer. She has been recommended as a ‘leading partner’ by Legal 500 Caribbean (Commercial Transactions) and Global Law Experts (Mergers & Acquisitions Law).

Christel currently serves as Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Council, a member of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, the International Association of Gaming Advisors, the Investment Funds Working Group of the Bahamas Financial Services Board and the Council of the University of the West Indies, a Director of St. Andrew’s International School and a director of a licensed trust company. She previously served as a Director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board, the 2

Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) (also co-chairing its Ease of Doing Business Division), and as Vice Chairman of the Bahamas Hospitals and Health Care Facilities Licensing Board.

She holds a Master of Laws degree in Banking and Finance Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Reading and was called to the Bars of England and Wales and The Bahamas in 1998.

Christel is passionate about the development of her community and has been a member of the Nassau (Bahamas) Chapter of Links Incorporated since 2005 and was elected as Chapter President in 2023. She is an avid supporter of the sport of swimming. Christel is married to Lamont Feaste and they are parents to 3 children; Lamont William, Lynden Albert and Lia Christina.