Sustainable Agri-Business: Global Reach, Local Impact

Richard Anthoney Vernon is the youngest councillor to sit as Mayor; he holds a Master of Science with distinction from the University of the West Indies, Mona, in Development Studies – Governance and Public Policy.

Mayor Vernon has a distinguished career in business, leadership, and politics, with a leadership record spanning over 15 years. A recipient of the Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Excellence in 2019, his work as the first citizen of Montego Bay transcends boundaries of age, ethnicity, gender, religion, and political orientation; his mantra is to “leave no one behind.”

He has participated in multilateral missions including the Mayors’ Conference in Medellín (2018), the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (2022), World Urban Forum 11 in Katowice (2022), the Cities Summit in Denver (2023), and the EU-LAC Conference in Brussels (2023). In 2024 he was selected for the U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program.

A dedicated Kiwanian, Mayor Vernon is the proud father of two children and believes that “Freedom and Development are obtained through Empowerment.”

Vivion Scully is a dynamic and accomplished leader with a proven track record in investment promotion and business development, currently serving as CEO of Agro-Invest Corporation of Jamaica.

He previously headed the North American Regional Office, leading strategies to attract foreign direct investment across agribusiness, tourism, logistics and business services, and has held leadership positions in the consumer products industry with brands such as Gillette and Johnson & Johnson across the Caribbean.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA).

Mrs. Donna-Marie Howe is a visionary leader redefining the mining landscape through bold strategy and principled stewardship, embedding Environmental, Social and Governance responsibility across JBM’s operations.

She holds an MBA in Finance, is a Fellow of the Chartered Taxation Association, holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Services, and is completing a DBA in Global Finance and Leadership. With over 20 years in International Tax and Finance, she trained at Ernst & Young UK and has worked with Fortune 500 companies including CBS, General Motors and Omnicom Group.

She serves and chairs several high-level boards including the Airport Authority of Jamaica, the National Insurance Fund and St Ann’s Bay Hospital.

Mrs. Shullette Cox assumed the role of President of Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) in February 2023, bringing over 20 years of experience at the agency to its mission of promoting exports, investment and linkages.

She leads national programmes including the National Competitiveness Council, the Jamaica Nation Brand initiative and the Jamaica Business Gateway, and previously led the development of the country’s first National Investment Policy.

She holds a Master of Arts in Development Economics and serves on the boards of JSEZA, the Cannabis Licensing Authority and JIFSA.

Kelli-Dawn is a distinguished professional with expertise in policy development, international trade, public relations and investment facilitation, serving as CEO of JSEZA since November 2023.

She previously served as Director of Investor Relations and Communications at JSEZA and honed her skills at JAMPRO across research, business development and capacity building. As a certified Services Go Global Trainer she has empowered businesses across the Caribbean.

She holds a Master of Science in Comparative Politics and Political Theory and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations, both from UWI, Mona, and serves on several boards including the Spectrum Management Authority, JIFSA and RADA.

Dr. David F. Lowe is Managing Director of the DBJ, leading its mandate to drive sustainable economic growth through development financing and entrepreneurship support. He has over 25 years of experience across private equity, financial services, agriculture, manufacturing and real estate.

He previously served as CEO of Katalyst Holdings and CEO of Caribbean Producers Jamaica, and held senior roles in global management consulting including Senior Strategy Consultant at Accenture.

He holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Manchester and has completed executive programmes at the Wharton School.

Kareema Muncey is the founder and CEO of Home Choice, a Jamaican food manufacturing company best known for its signature pepper shrimp. Starting with US$50 and a vision, she built a household brand now carried in over 3,000 stores locally and internationally.

She built the business without loans, relying on reinvestment, community partnerships and disciplined saving, expanding into lime juice, ginger extract, sorrel extract and ginger beverages. Home Choice now exports to the US, UK and Canada and employs over 80 staff.

She serves as Vice President of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association and mentors smaller business owners.

Erick is a result-driven senior executive with over 25 years of leadership across sales, marketing, distribution and manufacturing. He holds a BBA from Rafael Urdaneta University and an MBA (Marketing) from Rafael Belloso Chacín University.

He began his career in export logistics with PDVSA, then held roles with Komatsu and Oshkosh Corporation across Latin America. Today he leads JCB Caribbean, responsible for 300 products across 34 territories.

JCB is the 8th largest construction equipment manufacturer in the world by revenue. Erick lives in South Florida with his wife and children.

Dr. Carey Wallace is a visionary whose passion for building positive mindsets and creative expression has made him a driving force in the island’s cultural landscape, championing art, fashion and individuality as tools for empowerment.

He has dedicated a 25-year career in local tourism to innovative programmes that nurture creativity and elevate local voices onto the global stage.

He holds a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Cardiff University, an MBA in Finance from Cornell University and a BSc in Computer Science from UWI, Mona, and is a certified Project Management Professional.

Dr. Wayne Henry assumed duties as Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica in July 2016. He previously spent five years as Vice President, Government Affairs of the Scotiabank Group, and served as Chief Technical Advisor to the Minister of Finance and Special Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture.

He is Chairman of JSIF and of the National Social Protection Committee, and a member of the National Disaster Risk Management Council. In 2021 he was conferred with the Order of Distinction (Commander) for outstanding public service.

He holds a PhD in Agricultural and Development Economics and an MA in Economics from Ohio State University, an MBA (Hons) from Howard University and a BSc (Hons) from UWI.

Alexandra P. Davis is a dedicated public servant, educator and community leader. Born in England and raised in Jamaica, she earned her degree in Zoology and Chemistry from UWI before beginning her career with the Ministry of Agriculture in Kingston, later serving in government in London and Miami-Dade County.

In Miramar she founded Afro Carib and was instrumental in the Art in Public Places initiative, and served as City Commissioner and Vice Mayor. On November 19, 2024 she was sworn in as Broward County Commissioner, serving 2 million residents with oversight of a $9 billion budget.

Mrs. Jodian Tate-Clarke manages business development services for prospective and existing investors establishing or expanding agribusinesses in Jamaica, with over ten years of experience as a Project Coordinator across the Caribbean.

She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons.) in Finance and Human Resource Management from UTech, an Associate Degree in Accounting, and certificates in Project Management from UC Irvine Extension and the Project Management Institute, Jamaica.

Errol Barnaby serves as Acting CEO of the National Export-Import Bank of Jamaica, bringing over 20 years of experience in finance, export development and promotion. He was promoted to Acting CEO in April 2023 after serving as General Manager of the Finance Division.

He previously held the position of Financial Controller at JAMPRO. He holds an MBA (Finance) from the Manchester Business School and a BSc in Management Studies from UWI, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (UK) and a Chartered Business Administrator (Canada).

He also serves as a Justice of the Peace.

Winston Lawson has provided leadership and strategy at senior and executive levels across Retail, Commercial, Corporate, Investment and Development Banking, and currently leads the Trade and Commercial Lending Division at EXIM Bank.

Prior roles include Head of Regional Sales at Barita Investments and Assistant General Manager, Corporate Banking at NCB. He is a past President of the Montego Bay and Manchester Chambers of Commerce.

He is married to Camille and has two daughters.

Colonel (ret’d) Jaimie Ogilvie joined Jamaica Broilers Group in 2018 and serves as Vice President for the Hi-Pro Division, after 30 years of service in the Jamaica Defence Force where he held operational and strategic leadership roles.

At JBG he has led Hi-Pro, Jamaica’s leading agricultural input supplier, through the pandemic while consistently growing revenue and profitability and supporting the agricultural sector.

He holds a BSc (Hons) from UWI and three postgraduate degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School, the US Army Command and General Staff College, and the US Army War College. He is married to Joanna and they have five children.

An Irrigation Engineer with over 15 years of experience designing, implementing and optimizing irrigation systems for small and large-scale projects, with strong expertise in hydraulics and technical support for irrigation equipment.

His background includes extensive work across Mexico and Central America, often partnering with leading companies in the irrigation sector.

Dr. Gavin Bellamy obtained a BA in Pre-Veterinary Medicine at St. Leo College, Florida, then received a scholarship to study veterinary medicine, graduating with a DVM (Hons) and an MSc in reproductive physiology from the Kharkov Zoo Veterinary Institute.

In January 2021 he assumed the role of CEO of the National Fisheries Authority. He previously served as General Manager at Serge Island Farms and as a Regulatory Veterinary Specialist with the Government of Jamaica.

He is a Justice of the Peace, holds several directorships, and is married to Catherine with two adult children.

Kilara Suit serves as Senior Agriculture Specialist for Haiti and Jamaica at the World Bank Group. Based in Kingston, she leads initiatives to strengthen food and nutrition security, champion climate-smart agriculture and promote integrated landscape management.

She brings perspective from the World Bank’s Climate Change and Trade & Competitiveness Global Practices and earlier work in Africa, and holds a master’s in Political Economy of Development and a bachelor’s in Development Economics from SOAS, University of London.

As a member of the Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers, Latoya Rattray-Ellis serves as Parish Representative for Clarendon, championing the interests of rural women farmers.

She is an Agricultural Communication Consultant, a seasoned public relations practitioner, and co-founder of LAE Farm Ltd., where she grows yellow yams, Scotch Bonnet peppers and other crops. A 2024 YLAI Fellow and pitch competition finalist, she is also an experienced event organiser and moderator.

Joining the family business over 20 years ago, Matthew Lyn is CEO of the CB Group, having led the Group’s strategy development, cultural rebirth, market rebrand and regional expansion for over 10 years.

A strong advocate for social good, he has led the Group’s investments into cleaner energy, water conservation and waste management. He co-founded the award-winning Jamaica Food & Drink Co., co-chairs Jamaica’s Food Security and Agribusiness Council, and is Immediate Past President of the Caribbean Poultry Association.

Phillip Garvin has responsibility for land-management matters at the Agro-Investment Corporation, playing an integral role in planning and establishing new Agro Parks and Production Zones, screening prospective investors, lease management and enforcement.

He holds a BSc in Land Economy and Valuation Surveying (Hons.) from UTech, and played a key role in establishing the 849-acre New Pen Production Zone in St. Mary and the Lennox and Low Leyton Production Zone in Portland.

Robin Levy serves as Group CEO of the Jamaica Co-operative Credit Union League and Director of its three subsidiaries, bringing decades of leadership across financial services, advisory, assurance and manufacturing.

He is Deputy Chairman of JETS/Multilink, Jamaica’s Toll Regulator, and a member of the National Payments Council and National Social Protection Council. He holds an MBA in Finance and is a Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Risk Manager.

Shelleka Darby is a seasoned trade and agriculture policy professional advancing Jamaica’s agricultural development agenda at national, regional and international levels, providing leadership on trade policy, market access and international cooperation.

She leads and coordinates Jamaica’s representation in high-level negotiations within the WTO, United Nations and CARICOM, and guided the development of the CARICOM Regional Youth in Agriculture Strategy.

She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in international law and brings over a decade of experience with international organizations and diplomatic missions.

Stephen Jones is an entrepreneur and strategic executive with over 25 years bridging technology, agriculture and environmental innovation, leading ESL across environmental consulting, laboratory services and sustainability ventures.

He founded ESL AgroTech, which has filed seven patents transforming Scotch Bonnet peppers into value-added wellness products, and directs ESL Farms. Through ESL BioTech he introduced drone and satellite-enabled precision agriculture to Jamaica, spraying over 25,000 acres.

His work reflects a mission to build regenerative businesses that merge innovation with environmental and social impact.

Udai is a dual New Zealand and French national who has lived in India, New Zealand, France and, for the last 13 years, the United Kingdom at AFT Trenchers. His AFT journey started in France in 2009 importing AFT machines across French-speaking countries.

AFT Trenchers, based in the UK, is renowned worldwide for its complete in-house design, engineering and production of tractor-mounted attachment trenchers. Udai has focused on making the flagship AFT100 trencher the global standard for drainage and irrigation.

AFT’s mission is to help farmers maximise yield and productivity through efficient land drainage and irrigation. For more information contact AFT at info@trenchers.co.uk or +44 1787 311 811.