In a strategic move that signals both continuity and calculated reform, the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) has named Emile Leiba as its incoming president for the 2025/2026 term. Leiba, a seasoned attorney and current managing partner at law firm DunnCox, steps into the leadership role at a time when the chamber is sharpening its focus on policy influence and structural transformation within Jamaica’s business environment.
Leiba’s legal background is not ornamental. With over 20 years of experience in corporate law, financial regulation, and governance, his expertise aligns with the chamber’s increasing involvement in legislative dialogue and its push for more equitable market structures—especially in procurement, taxation, and digital integration. His appointment was uncontested.
The new executive team, announced during the chamber’s Annual General Meeting, reflects a deliberate infusion of leadership from key sectors:
- Martha Miller, CEO of National Rums of Jamaica, assumes the role of First Vice-President.
- Jonathan Swire, Deputy Chairman at Delta Supply Company, becomes Second Vice-President.
- Colonel (Ret’d) Jamie Ogilvie, currently VP at Jamaica Broilers, steps in as Third Vice-President.
- Janine Chin, a senior leader in the pharmaceutical industry, was confirmed as Fourth Vice-President.
- John Butler, Executive Director at EY Jamaica, returns as Honorary Treasurer.
Eight directors round out the chamber’s governance slate, with representation spanning maritime logistics, banking, legal, and industrial policy. Among the appointed are: Steven Bell (Seaboard Maritime), Olive Downer-Walsh (Hardware & Lumber), Andre Gooden (JSE), and Shaniel May Brown (Myers Fletcher & Gordon), signaling a diversified portfolio of expertise within the JCC’s boardroom.
Outgoing president Phillip Ramson, who served two consecutive terms, described his tenure as one of “measured expansion and institutional confidence.” His leadership saw the JCC increase its policy footprint and amplify the voice of small and medium-sized enterprises in national consultations. Ramson exits with the chamber actively engaged in lobbying for regulatory reform, tax clarity, and broader inclusion of businesses in the digital transition.
“This is not just a handover. It’s a shift into a more assertive era for the Chamber,” one insider noted during the proceedings.
Leiba now inherits a chamber in motion—one with growing momentum and an increasingly complex role in balancing private sector interests with public sector negotiations. With his legal precision and measured approach, all eyes will be on whether his tenure accelerates the JCC’s influence or tempers it in favor of stability.
