Lok Jack profile

THE NAME Arthur Lok Jack seems to be every where these days. It’s this magnificent reach through a string of influential directorships that has taken him to heavyweight status.

Lok Jack, 64, has been in the centre of two controversial political and business transactions — the proposal by Caribbean Airlines (CA) to purchase a private jet and the sale of RBTT Financial Holdings to the Royal Bank of Canada.

As chairman of Caribbean Airlines, Lok Jack last month pitched that it would be strategically sound at this time for CA to get into the executive jet business.

As an RBTT board member, Lok Jack with a 700,000 share stake, supported its sale to the Canadian bank, while several minority shareholders vented their displeasure at the proposal.

Described as an astute businessman by many, he is the executive chairman of his company Associated Brands Investments Ltd, which in 2000 had a $400 million turnover.

Associated Brands is a manufacturer and distributor of snack foods, chocolate confectionery, biscuits and breakfast cereals, its website said.

“In total, the company currently distributes its products to over 20 countries worldwide, reaching as far as Taiwan and Ireland” and has been in existence since 1974. It has built an extensive portfolio of brands under the Sunshine Snacks, Charles Candy, Devon Biscuits and Sunshine and Universal Cereals labels, it said. Lok Jack became the chairman of Guardian Holdings Ltd (GHL) in 2004, after being a director at GHL since 1997. GHL is the parent company of a financial services group whose regional and international team of professionals offer integrated financial services in life and health insurance, property and casualty insurance, pensions and asset management.

The company’s assets exceed US$2.1 billion and the average return on equity over the last four years is approximately 22 percent, its website noted. Lok Jack was elected to the board of Neal and Massy Holdings Ltd in December 1998 and was appointed its chairman in June 2004.

The group recently acquired Barbados Shipping and Trading after fending out a rival takeover bid from the ANSA McAL group.

Lok Jack was also a former director at the Caribbean Communications Network which now functions under the One Caribbean Media Group.

At a quick glance, he’s in the business, banking, food, insurance, industrial, energy and IT and business. Associated Brands’ success in 2001 earned Lok Jack Ernst and Young’s Master Entrepreneur of the Year award. He was a recipient of the Chaconia Gold Medal in August 2004, was made a University of the West Indies Caribbean Luminary and was bestowed a Doctor of Laws Degree by the University.

In 2005, he gave $20 million to the then UWI Institute of Business, now the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. This personal endowment was hailed by Prime Minister Patrick Manning as admirable. Lok Jack was also chairman of the Government’s Vision 2020 Committee.