Annual PIAJ Luncheon

Strengthening the pension industry through knowledge sharing and thought leadership.

Event Programme

Guest Speaker Profile

MR RICHARD BYLES
Governor of the Bank of Jamaica

Richard Owen Byles epitomises excellence in service to Jamaica’s private and public sectors spanning five decades – almost all of his adult years. Having held various senior management positions, he is one of his generation’s most accomplished corporate leaders, with a stellar track record for leading major corporate mergers and acquisitions. At the same time, he has significantly influenced the exercise of responsible public financial management and economic development in modern Jamaica.


Born in Kingston, Jamaica, on 25 February 1951, Mr. Byles earned a B.Sc. in Economics at the University of the West Indies, Mona and an M.Sc. in National Development at the University of Bradford in Yorkshire, England.

He serves as the Governor of the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ), where he serves as the Supervisor of commercial and merchant banks while leading  
a dedicated and highly skilled team that regulates deposit-taking institutions, devises and implements monetary policy, and manages financial system stability. He is also responsible for charting the introduction of Jamaica’s Twin-Peaks financial sector regulation system.

Mr. Byles serves as the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Financial Services Commission.He has served as Chairman of Sagicor Group Jamaica Limited, Chairman of a number of other private sector boards, including Desnoes and Geddes Limited (Red Stripe Jamaica), and a Director on others, including PanJam Investment Limited.

In recognition of his sterling contributions to business leadership, Mr. Byles was inducted into the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) Hall of Fame and has been awarded by the Jamaica Observer and Gleaner publications. He was also awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters by Northern Caribbean University and the Doctor of Business by the University College of the The Caribbean. Other honours and awards which have been deservedly bestowed on Mr. Byles include the American Friends of Jamaica International Achievement Award and the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica Lifetime Achievement Award.