Bravo! - Douglas Orane chosen for distinguished award

JAMAICA'S DOUGLAS Orane, chairman of the GraceKennedy Group, has been chosen by the Latin Trade Group to be the Social Sustainability Leader of the Year for Latin America and the Caribbean at this year's prestigious Bravo Business Awards.

Orane joins eight other outstanding Latin American and Caribbean business, government and social development leaders who will be honoured at the 18th staging of the event on October 26 in Miami, Florida.

The award for Leader of the Year will be presented to Sebastian Pinera, president of Chile, while Julio Velarde Flores, governor of the Central Bank of Peru, will be given the award for Distinguished Service of the Year.

Chilean Juan Benavides, chief executive officer (CEO) of Falabella will be given the CEO Lifetime Achievement award, and the Financier of the Year award will go to CEO of Grupo Sura, David Bojanini Garcia of Colombia. Brazilian Raul Calfat, CEO of Votorantim will be named CEO of the Year and Venezuelan Andres Gluski, CEO of AES Corp will be awarded International CEO of the Year.

The 2012 winners

Completing the 2012 winners are Mexicans Alejandro Ramirez Magana, CEO of Cinepolis, who will be named Entrepreneurial CEO of the Year, and Carlos Slim Domit, chairman of the Board of Telmex, Grupo Carso and Grupo Sanborns, and co-chairman of American Movil, who will be awarded Investor of the Year.

For the last 17 years, the Latin Trade Bravo Business Awards have recognised regional excellence in government, business and social development. In keeping with that objective, this year's winners are a group of world-class executives who are playing a key role in improving Latin American economy and business.

Orane is the first Jamaican to earn a Bravo Business award. As chairman of GraceKennedy, one of the world's premier Caribbean companies, specialising in food and beverage processing and distribution, banking and finance, insurance and remittance services, as well as building materials retailing, Orane has concentrated his efforts on establishing the company's operations and positioning it as a model of ethical and social sustainability.

Today, the GraceKennedy Group comprises a varied network of some 60 subsidiaries and associated companies located across the Caribbean, North and Central America and the United Kingdom.