Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer

Carreras Limited has confirmed that Marcus Steele is to replace Richard Pandohie as its managing director effective March 1.

Pandohie has been promoted to another role within the British American Tobacco (BAT) Group, paving the way for Steele to assume the position.

"Under Richard's outstanding leadership, Carreras is now on a path for sustainable growth and on behalf of the Board of Directors, we extend our thanks to him and wish him all the very best as he embarks on a new challenge within the BAT Group," said the Chairman of Carreras, Richard Lewis.

"The Board of Directors, along with its management and staff, extends a very warm welcome to Mr Steele and wish him every success in his new role," added Lewis.

Pandohie is considered to be one of the country's bright, young, managerial stars.

His appointment to head the internationally recognised Carreras brand in Jamaica, several years ago, was viewed as an endorsement of the transformational leadership that is not only needed in the private sector, but also in Government.

Steele, an employee of Carreras, came to prominence in 2007 when he was installed as the head of finance, in what was then his second Jamaican rotation at the tobacco company.

At the time, he succeeded Nigerian, Reynaldo Callejas, who departed Carreras on September 30, as finance director and company secretary

Steele has been on secondment to the Trinidad branch of another BAT company, Carisma Marketing Services Limited, in the position of country manager with responsibility for the general management of the company's businesses across 24 markets in the English, French and Dutch Caribbean since August 1, 2011.

Prior to that, Steele served Carreras as finance director and company secretary for four years.