KINGSTON, Jamaica — AS Bryden Sons & Holdings Limited (ASBH) has announced the appointment of John De Silva as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1. This strategic leadership change comes during a period of significant corporate restructuring for the Trinidad-based conglomerate.
De Silva brings over three decades of executive experience to the role, most recently serving as Managing Director of Lasco Distributors Limited until his resignation on March 13. His extensive background includes a three-year tenure as Managing Director of Unilever Caribbean Limited and previous executive positions with global food giant Nestlé.
The Trinidadian executive succeeds Richard Pandohie, who has led ASBH since June 2022 when Jamaican manufacturing and distribution company Seprod acquired a 60 percent stake in the Trinidadian firm. Pandohie continues as CEO of Seprod, which recently increased its ownership in ASBH from 50 percent to 80 percent through a share swap transaction completed in July 2025.
This leadership appointment coincides with both publicly listed companies implementing strategic measures to strengthen their financial positions. ASBH has utilized debt financing to acquire a majority interest in Caribbean Producers (Jamaica) Limited between July 2024 and February 2025, while Seprod has divested International Biscuits Limited to sharpen its operational focus and optimize its regional distribution network.
The companies are actively working to reduce debt levels on their respective balance sheets while positioning themselves for sustained growth across the Caribbean region.