Don Seymour is the founder of the Caymanians First Charitable Foundation, a mission-driven organization dedicated to advancing the prosperity, opportunity, and long-term wellbeing of Caymanians in their own homeland. Caymanians First is built on a simple premise: a country succeeds only if its people do. The foundation focuses on practical, results-driven initiatives that create jobs, build skills, strengthen families, and ensure Caymanians benefit directly from economic growth.
Through Caymanians First, Don applies global experience to local impact—building sustainable opportunities and empowering the next generation of Caymanian talent and innovators.
Background & Legacy
Don is an accomplished founder, investor, and philanthropist with a career spanning financial services, technology, and media. He is also the founder of Black Unicorn, a Cayman Islands–based single-family office, where he combines deep operating expertise with a disciplined, value-building investor mindset focused on high-potential fintech and strategic media investments.
Entrepreneurial Track Record
Across three decades, Don has founded and scaled multiple category-defining institutions:
FundBank — A global digital institutional banking platform serving the asset management industry across the Cayman Islands, the United States, and the European Union.
RACE Digital Bank — A next-generation institutional bank delivering bank-grade services to the digital asset ecosystem, with operations in Austin, Texas and George Town, Cayman Islands.
Simur — A RegTech company with four patented customer due-diligence technologies that reduce compliance costs by up to 90%.
Stingray Media Group — The Cayman Islands’ leading media-technology platform, spanning print, radio, digital marketplaces, loyalty and payments infrastructure, and local journalism.
Waystone — Under Don’s leadership, grew into the world’s largest fund governance firm and became the Cayman Islands’ first “unicorn,” exiting at over $1.3 billion and winning multiple international Deal of the Year awards.
Public Service & Regulatory Leadership
Don played a formative role in shaping Cayman’s modern financial framework. As founding Head of the Investment Services Division at the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, he authored and implemented the regulatory regime that established the Cayman Islands as the world’s leading hedge fund jurisdiction, now hosting 80% of investment funds worldwide.
He began his career at PwC in New York, where he led audit and advisory engagements for Soros Fund Management.
Philanthropy & Education
Philanthropy is central to Don’s work. Through Caymanians First Charitable Foundation, he emphasizes accountability and measurable outcomes for Caymanians. His commitment to developing future leaders also extends to his alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin, where he established the Seymour Family Seed Fund at the McCombs School of Business. Through the fund, he provides capital and hands-on mentorship to early-stage ventures in fintech and enterprise software, reflecting his belief in empowering the next generation of innovators.
Recognition
First recipient of the President’s Impact Award from The University of Texas at Austin for transformative contributions to the global financial industry.
Named by the Financial Times as one of the global hedge fund industry’s most influential figures.
Featured in Transforming Wall Street: A Conscious Path for a New Future alongside leading financiers and thinkers including Bill Ackman, John Bogle, and John Whitehead.
Focus Today
As founder of Caymanians First, Don brings the same discipline, independence, and insistence on accountability that defined his global career—now applied with singular focus to ensuring Cayman’s future works first and foremost for Caymanians.
Miss Jewel Hydes is the first Chief Executive Officer and Supervisor of Caymanians First Charitable Foundation. She has long been an advocate for Caymanians and has contributed meaningfully across the Cayman Islands through community service, outreach, and empowerment initiatives. Miss Hydes firmly believes that Caymanians should always come first, and this principle has guided both her personal values and her lifelong commitment to serving the Caymanian community.
Miss Hydes has supported Caymanians through employment placement assistance, food distribution programs, and the delivery of life skills programs, including resume development and employability support.
She has also been involved in sports initiatives geared toward primary school students, promoting teamwork, discipline, and healthy lifestyles from an early age. Her community involvement also included environmental initiatives such as Earth Day clean-ups, contributions to Seniors Month events, including appearances on Radio Cayman talk shows—and on an annual basis she donates wigs to individuals undergoing cancer treatment. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Tampa, along with additional industry-specific qualifications. Miss Hydes brings strong leadership and a deep commitment to community service to her role at the Foundation.
Richard Barton is the Founder and Managing Partner of Barton Attorneys. He was admitted to practice as an attorney in the Cayman Islands in June 2006. He is admitted as a Barrister in England and Wales (non-practicing) and is a member of The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn.
Prior to establishing his own firm, Richard worked as an Associate at a leading global offshore law firm, where he practiced Dispute Resolution, General Commercial Law, and Insolvency. He also previously served as Crown Counsel in the Chambers of the Honourable Attorney General.
Richard is a Council Member of the Cayman Islands Legal Practitioners Association (CILPA), and is currently in his second term as President. He is primarily responsible for firms with fifteen attorneys or fewer and he leads the CILPA Education Sub-Committee. Richard also served on the Legal Advisory Council.
Deeply committed to the Cayman Islands community, Richard has consistently contributed his time and expertise to public service, governance, and youth development initiatives. His past roles included Chairperson of the Business Staffing Plan Board, Chairperson of the Planning Appeals Tribunal and Deputy Chair of the Health Appeals Tribunal. He is a serving member of the Police Service Commission chaired by Her Excellency the Governor, a member of the Ethics Committee of Health City Cayman Islands and a member of the CUC Cayman Islands Youth Football League Board of Directors. He has also previously held the role of Chair of the Cayman Islands Football Association Disciplinary Committee, reflecting his ongoing support for community engagement and youth sport.
Eileen Keens is a marketing and business development professional with more than 25 years of experience across the Caribbean. She currently serves as Vice President of DMS Organization Ltd., where she leads marketing, sales, brand strategy, and cross-functional growth initiatives. Over the years, she has held senior roles with Yello Media Group and General Motors International Sales, building a strong background in strategic marketing, partnerships, communications, and business development.
Eileen is also deeply committed to community service and civic engagement. She previously served on the board of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) as well as Cayman Islands Marketing Professionals Association (CIMPA) , and has volunteered with organizations including Jasmine, Acts of Random Kindness, and Meals on Wheels, supporting fundraising efforts and outreach to those in need. She brings to the charity sector a combination of professional expertise, compassion, and a genuine desire to make a positive difference in the community.
