Welcome to Team Virteffic Christina Gates

As part of our Team News series, we are pleased to introduce the newest members of Team Virteffic and the experience, perspectives and skills they bring to the business.

First up is Christina Gates, who recently joined Virteffic as a Senior Governance and Secretarial Officer.

With around 30 years of experience spanning financial services, trust administration, corporate governance, Board support and funds, Christina brings a wealth of practical knowledge, leadership experience and commercial insight to the team. We are delighted to welcome her to Virteffic and look forward to the contribution she will make.

A Career Built on Experience

Christina’s career began in banking before she moved into the trust industry, where she spent almost two decades developing expertise across trust administration, compliance, governance and complex client matters.

Over time, she became particularly involved in contentious trust situations, remediation projects and sensitive client structures, developing a reputation for navigating challenging situations with professionalism and care.

Her career later took her into the specialist finance sector, where she spent ten years working for a leading litigation funder. During this time, she played a key role in establishing, managing and overseeing assets within its Jersey operation, while working closely with Boards, fund service providers and professional advisers. The role provided valuable insight into governance, corporate administration and Board operations from a client perspective.

Most recently, Christina worked as a director within a Jersey fund services business, further strengthening her experience of regulated environments, corporate governance and Board decision-making.

Bringing a Boardroom Perspective

One of Christina’s greatest strengths is the breadth of experience she brings from multiple perspectives.

Throughout her career, she has supported Boards, worked alongside senior executives and professional advisers, served as a director herself and developed a strong understanding of governance in practice.

Combined with her professional qualifications and Board experience, this provides valuable insight into the challenges Boards face, the importance of effective governance and the practical realities of decision-making.

This perspective aligns closely with Virteffic’s growing focus on Board support, governance advisory services and Board Effectiveness Reviews.

Why Virteffic

For Christina, the decision to join Virteffic was about far more than simply changing jobs.

After building a successful career spanning three decades across banking, trust administration, specialist finance and funds, she found herself reflecting on what she wanted from the next chapter of her professional life.

Alongside her career, Christina had recently experienced a significant change in her personal life, becoming a mum to her daughter, Hope.

Like many experienced professionals, she wanted to continue doing meaningful, challenging and rewarding work, whilst also having the flexibility to be present for the moments that matter most outside of the office.

“I reached a point where professionally something had to change in order for me to continue getting joy from both my work and my family life.”

Rather than stepping away from the industry she loved, Christina wanted to find an environment where she could continue contributing her experience, keep developing professionally and remain closely involved in governance and Board work, whilst creating a better balance for her family’s needs.

Virteffic offered exactly that opportunity.

Having previously worked with Tess Price and Claudette Taylor, Christina was already familiar with the values, professionalism and people-first approach that sat behind the business.

She had also followed Virteffic’s journey from afar for a number of years, watching the business grow from a specialist governance support provider into a firm delivering governance advisory services, Board Effectiveness Reviews, professional training and strategic Board support.

“Knowing what I know about Tess and Claudette, and having followed Virteffic for years, I already knew it was a fantastic business. I’ve loved seeing the direction it has taken and the focus on governance, Board effectiveness and training.”

For Christina, the combination of professional challenge, flexibility, continuous learning and the opportunity to work alongside experienced governance professionals made Virteffic a natural fit for the next stage of her career.

“What really appealed to me was being able to continue doing the work I enjoy, continue developing professionally and continue contributing, whilst also having the flexibility I need as a mum. Finding an environment where I could do both was incredibly important.”

Today, she sees that decision as an opportunity not only to bring her own experience to the team, but also to continue learning, growing and contributing to an organisation whose values closely align with her own.

First Impressions of Virteffic

Although Christina had followed Virteffic’s journey from afar, joining the business has provided a new perspective.

One of the things that has impressed her most during her first few weeks has been the calibre and diversity of the organisations that trust Virteffic to support their governance activities.

“Before joining, I thought I had a good understanding of the type of organisations Virteffic worked with. What has genuinely surprised me is the calibre of clients and the level of trust they place in the team. These are first-class organisations, and it has been incredibly impressive learning more about the work Virteffic delivers and the clients we support.”

For Christina, this reflects both the quality of the relationships Virteffic has built and the reputation the team has developed across the Channel Islands and beyond.

Looking Ahead

As she settles into the team, Christina is particularly looking forward to working directly with clients, supporting Board and Committee meetings and contributing to Board Effectiveness Reviews.

She is also excited to become involved with the Virteffic Academy and support the delivery of governance training and professional development initiatives.

Having spent much of her career learning, mentoring and supporting others, she is looking forward to sharing her knowledge and experience through training, workshops and client support activities.

Strengthening Team Virteffic

Bringing experienced professionals into Team Virteffic is an important part of continuing to strengthen the support we provide to our clients.

Christina’s background spans trust structures, corporate administration, specialist finance, funds, governance frameworks and Board operations. She understands the importance of accuracy, responsiveness, strong relationships and practical governance support.

Most importantly, she brings a client-focused mindset shaped by years of working both alongside and within the organisations that rely on strong governance to succeed.

Her experience further strengthens Virteffic’s ability to provide responsive, reliable and thoughtful support across our governance, Board support, advisory and training services.

Supporting Boards Across Jersey and Guernsey

Christina joins a team that supports Boards, Committees and regulated businesses across Jersey, Guernsey and beyond. Through company secretarial support, Board Effectiveness Reviews, governance advisory services and governance training, Virteffic works alongside organisations to strengthen governance frameworks, improve Board effectiveness and support better decision-making.

A Warm Welcome to Christina

We are delighted to welcome Christina to Team Virteffic and look forward to seeing her experience, knowledge and perspective become part of our growing team.

Please join us in giving Christina a very warm welcome.