Feb 2025 Financial News

GraceKennedy Limited - Notice of Change in Senior Officers

Feb 11, 2025

News Release
GraceKennedy Announces Additional Leadership Changes for 2025

Kingston, Jamaica, February 10, 2025 – GraceKennedy Limited (GK) has announced key leadership changes set to take effect in 2025 as part of the Company’s succession plan. Effective February 14, 2025, Andrea Coy will assume the role of CEO of GraceKennedy Foods, a move which will see the integration of the domestic and international segments of GK’s food division under a single leadership structure.

Since joining GraceKennedy in 2005 as Hi-Lo's Financial Controller, Coy has held several key leadership roles within GK, including General Manager of Hi-Lo Food Stores and World Brands Services, CEO of Hardware & Lumber, Senior General Manager of the GK Foods Global Category Management Unit, and CEO of GK Foods Domestic. She has led GK's international food operations since 2018 and is a member of the GK Executive Committee. Under her leadership, both GK’s domestic and international food businesses recorded significant growth in revenues and profitability. Coy holds degrees in Accounting from the University of the West Indies and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica. She specializes in Turnaround Management and has completed advanced studies in the field at Harvard Business School. She serves on the Board of the Bank of Jamaica.

Later this year, following a distinguished 25-year career at GK, Grace Burnett will retire as CEO of the GraceKennedy Financial Group (GKFG), effective August 14, 2025. Upon her retirement, Steven Whittingham, the current Deputy CEO of GKFG, will step into the role of CEO, ensuring a seamless transition in leadership.

Burnett joined GK in 2000 and has held several key leadership roles within the Group. She previously served as Managing Director of GK General Insurance and Allied Insurance Brokers, where she led strategic operations for GK’s insurance business. From 2014 to 2019, she was the CEO of GK’s Insurance Segment, driving growth and innovation in the sector. An attorney-at-law, she has been the CEO of GKFG since 2016 and holds the position of the President & CEO of GraceKennedy Money Services. She is also a member of the GK Executive Committee. Well-known for her expertise in customer service, operations, and talent development, Burnett has earned accolades both within GK and externally. Her outstanding contributions to the insurance industry and exemplary leadership were formally recognised in 2024 when she received the prestigious Insurance Association of Jamaica Leadership Excellence Award.

Whittingham joined GK in 2013 and has been Deputy CEO of GKFG since 2022, overseeing the Group’s Insurance Segment, merchant banking, and investment portfolios. He is a member of the GK Executive Committee and leads GK’s digital transformation. He has held various leadership roles within GK, including Chief Investment Officer of GraceKennedy Limited, Chief Operating Officer of GKFG, President of First Global Financial Services and Managing Director of GK Capital Management. During his tenure he has been instrumental in driving GK’s expansion through strategic mergers, acquisitions, and greenfield startups, consistently delivering impressive growth across portfolios. Whittingham holds dual degrees in Systems Engineering and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School. In 2024 he was appointed Chairman of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, and he has served on several public and private sector boards.

These announcements come as GK prepares for another major leadership transition later this week. Last month, the Company confirmed that Group CEO, the Honourable Don Wehby, CD, OJ, will retire on February 14, 2025, stepping down from the Board of Directors after a distinguished tenure. He will be succeeded by Frank James, current CEO of GK Foods Domestic and former Group CFO.

GraceKennedy remains steadfast in its commitment to executing its strategy and ensuring excellence across all its operations. These leadership changes align with the Company’s commitment to fostering a performance-driven culture while promoting innovation and consumer centricity. As the GK team strives to achieve its vision of becoming the number one Caribbean brand in the world, these appointments will provide continuity and strategically position GraceKennedy for sustained growth and innovation in the years ahead.

 

Source:
The Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange Limited
Tuesday 11th February 2025