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The JN Group Pays Tribute to Oliver Clarke
The Boards of Directors of Jamaica National celebrate the life and work of the Hon. Oliver F. Clarke, Chairman of The Jamaica National Group.
Oliver Clarke’s tremendous impact on the business and media landscape in Jamaica spans more than five decades. He was instrumental in the transformation of the local building society movement, by encouraging the expansion of building societies from parish-based entities into urban organisations, while maintaining the strong mandate to serve its members.
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Tributes to Oliver Clarke
THE HON. OLIVER F CLARKE, OJ
Oliver F Clarke born, Son of Hon. Eric Hugh Clarke, farmer and businessman (deceased) and Zena Clarke, nee Whitelocke (deceased)
Educated at DeCarteret College, Mandeville, Jamaica
Attended Sherborne School, United Kingdom
Graduate, BSc, Economics, London School of Economics, United Kingdom
Returned to Jamaica
Assistant General Manager, Westmoreland Building Society
Jamaica National Building Society undertook mergers and name change
General Manager, Jamaica National Building Society
Invited by Chairman of the Gleaner Company, Leslie Ashenheim to join the Gleaner
Managing Director, Gleaner Company Limited
Founding member, The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ)
Appointed Justice of the Peace for the Parish of Kingston
Chairman, Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS)
Launches J$4 million Debenture for the Gleaner Company, which was oversubscribed
Chairman, Gleaner Company Limited
Awarded Order of Jamaica, fourth highest national honour
Received Americas Award from the Americas Foundation
Inducted into the Private Sector Hall of Fame, PSOJ
Deputy Chairman, JNBS
President, Inter-American Press Association (IAPA)
President, The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ)
Re-appointed Chairman, Jamaica National Building Society
Caribbean Luminary award, American Foundation for The University of the West Indies
International Humanitarian Award, American Friends of Jamaica
Honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D), The University of the West Indies
Honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D), University of Tehcnology
Honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Northern Caribbean University
Merger of the media operations of The Gleaner Company and Radio Jamaica Limited.
Change of name from The Gleaner Company Limited to 1834 Investments Limited, to underscore the change of strategic direction and the company’s operation as an independent investment entity
Deputy Chairman, RJRGleaner
Chairman, Gleaner Company Media Limited
Restructuring of Jamaica National Building Society as The Jamaica National Group and launch of JN Bank
Chairman, Radio Jamaica limited, trading as RJRGleaner Communications Group
Retired as Chairman of JN Bank and other JN Group companies
Retired as Chairman of RJRGleaner
Oliver Clarke passes away
Hon. Oliver F. Clarke, OJ, Hon. LL.D, JP, FCA, B.Sc. (Econ)
Chairman
The Hon. Oliver F. Clarke worked with the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) as Assistant General Manager and General Manager from 1971 to 1976. He served as Chairman of JNBS for two decades, 1977 to 1997 and also served as Deputy Chairman from 1997 until 2002, when he was reappointed Chairman. In February 2017, Mr Clarke was appointed Chairman of the newly launched subsidiary, JN Bank, as well as the restructured mutual holding companies, The Jamaica National Group and the JN Financial Group. In April 2019, he demitted chairmanship of both JN Bank and the JN Financial Group and continued as Chairman of The Jamaica National Group until his death on May 16, 2020.
Chairman
The Hon. Oliver F. Clarke worked with the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) as Assistant General Manager and General Manager from 1971 to 1976. He served as Chairman of JNBS for two decades, 1977 to 1997 and also served as Deputy Chairman from 1997 until 2002, when he was reappointed Chairman. In February 2017, Mr Clarke was appointed Chairman of the newly launched subsidiary, JN Bank, as well as the restructured mutual holding companies, The Jamaica National Group and the JN Financial Group. In April 2019, he demitted chairmanship of both JN Bank and the JN Financial Group and continued as Chairman of The Jamaica National Group until his death on May 16, 2020.
A Chartered Accountant, Mr Clarke was Managing Director (1976 – 2018) and was Chairman since 1979 of The Gleaner Company (now 1834 Investments Limited). He was also past President of both The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and The Inter American Press Association.
In 1990, he received the Americas Award from the Americas Foundation and was inducted into the PSOJ Private Sector Hall of Fame in 1996. The American Foundation for the University of the West Indies recognised him as a Caribbean Luminary in 2004, and in April 2006, the American Friends of Jamaica awarded Mr. Clarke with its International Humanitarian Award.
In 2009, he was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) from The University of the West Indies, and also from the University of Technology. In 2013, he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Northern Caribbean University.
In 2009, he was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) from The University of the West Indies, and also from the University of Technology. In 2013, he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Northern Caribbean University.
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RJRGLEANER Group leadership hails Oliver Clarke
The hierarchy of the RJRGLEANER Group, reacting to the passing of Oliver Clarke, has hailed him for his contribution to media while vowing to protect his legacy.
Clarke, 75, died on Saturday night after a battle with cancer.
Chief Executive Officer Gary Allen described Clarke as a patriot who stood for media freedom.
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Media mogul Oliver Clarke dies at 75
Oliver Frederick Clarke, the media mogul who stood at the helm of The Gleaner as chairman and managing director for more than four decades, has died.
Clarke died on Saturday at 9:45 p.m at his St Andrew home, ending his battle with cancer.
He was 75.
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Matalon: Clarke relentlessly pursued the best for Jamaica
Chairman of the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, Joseph Matalon, has expressed sadness at the passing of Oliver Clarke OJ, who lost his battle with cancer yesterday.
Matalon succeeded Clarke as chairman in May last year.
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Mr Oliver Clarke: A patriot attuned to the social inadequacies of his country
To the manor born, Mr Oliver Clarke, who died Saturday at age 75, had to cope with more than his fair share of political and labour-related conflicts and tensions at the national level, especially at the height of the global ideological Cold War.
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Oliver Clarke: Phone calls at dawn from an angry prime minister
Part 2 of a reprint of Oliver Clarke’s life story captured in the Desmond Allen Interviews and published in the Sunday Observer in 2005. Allen, the founding editor of the Jamaica Observer and award-winning journalist, was at The Gleaner when Clarke arrived in 1976. Clarke died last Saturday after a long battle with cancer. He was 75.