The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) is strengthening corporate governance standards through its e-Campus, with 19 professionals completing the 12th cohort of its Directors’ Strategic Guide to Corporate Governance and Leadership programme.
The participants, drawn from the legal, corporate, government and religious sectors, completed the programme between March 2 and June 7.
The e-Campus hosted a photo opportunity and presentation for the successful participants at the JSE last Thursday.
The programme was launched in 2018 to address gaps in director education and provides training in fiduciary duties, ethics, regulatory requirements and other areas critical to effective board leadership.
Businessman and former president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Lloyd Distant, who has served on corporate boards for more than 20 years, said he got more than he expected when he enrolled in the programme.
“Having served on corporate boards for over two decades, I registered for the Jamaica Stock Exchange’s Directors’ Strategic Guide to Corporate Governance with the expectation of a worthwhile refresher. It exceeded that expectation,” Distant said.
He said the programme reinforced the fiduciary duties and governance responsibilities expected of modern directors, while introducing contemporary thinking, practical tools and actionable frameworks to improve boardroom effectiveness.
Distant also commended the JSE for offering a programme that caters to both experienced directors and those preparing for board service.
“Continuous learning is indispensable to good governance, and this programme makes a meaningful contribution to that journey,” he said.
Kevin Powell, principal of the JSE e-Campus, said good governance should not be treated as a mere compliance exercise.
“It’s the foundation of every well-run enterprise,” Powell said. “Through the Directors’ Programme, we are equipping the next generation of directors with the judgment, accountability, and strategic insight that Jamaica’s boardrooms need to compete globally.”
He said the programme aims to move governance from theory to practice by giving directors practical tools to oversee strategy, protect stakeholders and ensure compliance in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
For Jody Gager-Rose, a director at listed Junior Market company Tropical Battery, completing the course was an intense and eye-opening experience.
“Board service is no joke; it goes far beyond just reviewing provided documents or simply attending meetings,” she said.
Gager-Rose said directors serve as “the ultimate gatekeepers” for shareholders and stakeholders and must be prepared to probe more deeply, ask the right questions and seek clear evidence behind management reports.
“The programme highlighted a fundamental truth: what gets measured gets done—and when boards don’t probe, critical issues can fly under the radar and risk corporate failure,” she said.
The importance of technology governance was also highlighted by Nigel Coke, chairman of the NCU Media Advisory Board.
“The section that caught my attention most was the need for IT Governance,” Coke said, noting that IT risk management requires direct oversight from boards and should not be left solely to information technology departments.
He also pointed to the importance of data protection for organisations that collect personal information.
“This course is a must for current and prospective board members,” Coke said.
The Directors’ Strategic Guide to Corporate Governance and Leadership is a postgraduate diploma in corporate governance offered by the JSE e-Campus in collaboration with the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica.
