BUSINESS: Shirley to succeed Orane as chair of GK

Principal of Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies, Professor Gordon Shirley will succeed Douglas Orane as chairman of the board of the Jamaican conglomerate GraceKennedy Limited, effective January 1, 2014.

Professor Shirley’s appointment was made by the GraceKennedy board at its meeting yesterday.

In a release, GraceKennedy said the appointment continued the process for the transformation of the board leadership, which began with the separation of the roles of chairman and chief executive officer on June 30, 2011.

At that time, Orane retired as CEO and was appointed executive chairman for a year to June 30, 2012.

At the end of that period, Orane was appointed non-executive chairman for the period July 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013.

“With the appointment of Professor Shirley to the Chair effective January 1, 2014, GraceKennedy will, for the first time, have an independent non-executive as its Chairman. Mr. Orane will remain on the GraceKennedy board after he vacates the Chair on December 31, 2013,” the release said.

Professor Shirley was appointed to the board of GraceKennedy Limited on May 30, 1996. He has served as a board member over the period since then, excluding the three year period between June 1, 2004 and May 31, 2007 when he was granted leave of absence to take up the position as Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States.

He is presently chairman of the corporate governance and nomination committee and a member of the audit committee.

business@gleanerjm.com