Don Wehby
Group Chief Operating Officer
Don Wehby first joined GraceKennedy Limited in 1995 as Group Finance Manager. He was appointed Deputy Finance Director in 1997 and in that same year was appointed to the Board of Directors of GraceKennedy Ltd. The following year, he was appointed Group Chief Financial Officer and in 1999 undertook the additional role of Chief Operating Officer for the Financial Services Division. In addition, he was charged with the responsibility for leading the Group's local and international expansion especially as this relates to banking, investments and insurance services. He has directed the listing of the company in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados as well as the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange sited in St. Kitts. Under his leadership, GraceKennedy acquired 100% ownership of First Global Bank Ltd., now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.
During his tenure as Chief Operating Officer of the Financial Services Division, the division's pre-tax profit rose from $280 million in 2000 to $1.417 billion in 2005, an increase of 406 %.
In December 2005 Mr. Wehby relinquished his role as Chief Operating Officer of the Financial Services Division to take on expanded responsibilities as Group Chief Financial Officer, which included heading a new Strategic Planning Unit. In 2006, following the reorganisation of GraceKennedy he was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer, GraceKennedy Ltd. and Chief Executive Officer, GK Investments.
In September 2007, Don Wehby resigned from his positions at GraceKennedy Ltd. and its Board of Directors to serve for two years as Government Senator and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.
On October 5, 2009 he rejoined the company in the capacity of Group Chief Operating Officer. He was also reappointed to the Board of Directors of GraceKennedy Ltd. on that date.
Mr. Wehby has served as Honorary Treasurer to the Executive of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica. His prior association with the PSOJ was that of a member of its Economic Policy Committee. His other professional affiliations include the Jamaica Stock Exchange Council and the board of Food for the Poor. He also served on the board of directors of his alma mater St. George’s College.
A Fellow Chartered Accountant, Mr. Wehby gained his early auditing experience at Touche-Ross Thorburn. He holds both a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) and a Master of Science degree in Accounting from The University of the West Indies and has completed an Advanced Management College certificate course at Stanford University.
Mr. Wehby is married with three children. He is an avid cricket fan and a member of the Kingston Cricket Club.