Mr. Richard Byles, Chairman
Richard Owen Byles was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 25 February 1951. He has served the private and public sectors in several senior management positions spanning three decades, and is one of the most accomplished corporate leaders of his generation.
Mr. Byles was appointed Governor of Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) effective 19 August 2019.Before assuming the role of BOJ Governor, he served as Chairman of Sagicor Group Jamaica Limited following 13 successful years at the helm of Sagicor Group Jamaica as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Prior to his tenure at Sagicor, Mr. Byles served as President and CEO at PanJam Investment Limited for 13 years.
Mr. Byles was recently appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Financial Services Commission effective 23 January 2023.
In addition to serving as Chairman for several Sagicor Group-related boards, he was also Chairman of several other boards, including Desnoes and Geddes Limited (Red Stripe Jamaica), and a Director on others, including PanJam Investment Limited.
His public sector service includes serving as the first private sector Co-Chairman of Jamaica’s landmark
Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC).
Mr. Byles holds a BSc in Economics from The University of the West Indies, Mona, and a MSc in National Development from the University of Bradford, England. He was awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters from Northern Caribbean University, and the Doctor of Business from the University College of the Caribbean.
He is also an inductee to the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) Hall of Fame, and an awardee
from both the Observer and Gleaner publications for his work as a private sector business leader.
Mr. Byles is married to Jacinth and has two sons, Pavel and Yannick.
