Smith lauded for integrity, innovation, and staff-centred leadership
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Anthony Smith, CEO at the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, gives remarks at the RJRGLEANER Honour Awards ceremony held on July 1 at the TVJ studios.
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Chief Executive Officer Anthony Smith (left) in conversation with Chairman Joseph M. Matalon at the RJRGLEANER Communications Group’s 76th Annual General Meeting, held on October 23, 2024 at the Terra Nova
All-Sute Hotel in
St Andrew.
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Anthony Smith presenting a copy of the ‘Best of Jamaica’ book to Angie Martinez, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Jamaica, during a courtesy call at The Gleaner’s North Street, Kingston offices on October 4, 2024.
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Anthony Smith (left), CEO at the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, and Major General (rtd) Antony Anderson, Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States, at the RJRGLEANER Honour Awards ceremony held on July 1 at the TVJ studios.
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CEO Anthony Smith selling copies of The Gleaner in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, on December 12, 2024, as part of activities to mark the newspaper’s 190th anniversary.
Anthony Smith is being hailed as a compassionate media leader whose stewardship inspired his colleagues and fostered an environment of innovation.
Smith, who was chief executive officer of the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, died on Sunday following a brief illness.
“With Smith’s death, we have lost yet another of the outstanding leaders of our media fraternity,” Culture Minister Olivia Grange said in a statement on Monday.
Stating that his death has left her “deeply saddened”, she extended condolences to Smith’s family, friends and associates, as well as to the RJRGLEANER Communications Group.
Opposition Spokesperson on Information Nekeisha Burchell described Smith as “a steady and thoughtful leader who brought clarity, professionalism, and a strong sense of purpose to Jamaica’s media landscape”.
In expressing her condolences, Burchell stressed that his death was also a loss to the country.
“His work reflected a deep respect for the role of the media in informing the public and strengthening our democracy. His passing is a loss not only to his family and colleagues, but to the entire country,” she said.
Governor General Sir Patrick Allen said Smith’s death is “a great loss to Jamaica’s media and corporate landscape”.
“He was a valued sponsor of the Governor General’s Programme for Excellence (GGPE) and a dedicated member of the GGPE Advisory Board, where his insight, commitment, and belief in youth development left a lasting impact,” Sir Patrick said in a statement posted on his Instagram page.
The Media Association Jamaica Ltd, which represents media owners, also paid tribute to Smith.
It acknowledged his passing with “profound regret”.
SAD LOSS
The Caribbean Broadcasting Union has also expressed condolences. President Anthony Greene said the organisation is mourning a “sad loss”.
CVM Television has hailed Smith for his “steadfast commitment to excellence in journalism and media management”, and whose contribution to the media industry “will be remembered with great respect”.
“Smith was a respected media executive whose leadership was defined by integrity [and] thoughtfulness,” the company said yesterday.
It added: “His passing represents a significant loss to the Jamaican media fraternity.”
Smith joined the RJRGLEANER Communications Group in October 2022 as deputy chief executive officer for print and digital services and was appointed CEO in January 2024.
An engineer by training, he previously held several senior executive roles within the telecommunications sector in Jamaica and across the wider Caribbean, including at Cable & Wireless and Massy Technologies Limited.
Speaking on RJR’s Beyond the Headlines yesterday, Group’ Chief Financial Officer Karla Stephens Hall described Smith as a personable leader who cared deeply about the welfare of his staff.
“We always had a lot of conversations about people, and how what we did affects people. And whenever we had issues of that nature he was always very rational ... it was always the people first, and then we’d figure out how to make it work for the business.”
She noted, too, that he was quite inventive.
“He really believed in a vision of the transformation of the RJR Group, and he really has put in place the foundation for us to move on with that,” she said.
RJRGLEANER Communications Group Board Chairman Joseph M. Matalon has been appointed interim executive chairman to ensure clarity of leadership, continuity of operations, and appropriate governance during this period of transition.
editorial@gleanerjm.com