KINGSTON, JAMAICA – Jamaican-based firm JFP Limited has unveiled a key leadership restructuring, ushering in a new era of governance following the end of Lisa Bell’s tenure as board chairman. The company made the transition official via a public media statement issued Thursday.
Metry Seaga, who previously held the top executive post as chief executive officer, has stepped into the chairman role. Taking over Seaga’s former CEO position is Andrea Melis, who most recently served as advisor to the CEO and chief operating officer. Separately, longtime COO Stephen Sirgany has retired from his day-to-day operational role but will remain on JFP’s board of directors, allowing the company to continue leveraging his decades of industry expertise and deep institutional knowledge of the firm.
In a statement released alongside the announcement, JFP praised outgoing chairman Bell for her steady leadership during an extraordinarily turbulent period for the company. During her time at the helm, Bell guided the organization through overlapping global and local crises while laying the critical groundwork for JFP’s current growth-focused strategy, and preserved consistent, stable leadership and governance frameworks through turbulent times.
“Serving as chairman of this organization has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” Bell shared in her remarks. “I’m deeply grateful to the board, our shareholders, and the entire dedicated team I had the privilege to work alongside. Even as we navigated unprecedented challenges – from the lingering economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic to the damage inflicted by Hurricane Melissa and ongoing global geopolitical disruptions – I never doubted this company’s ability to grow and reach new heights in the years to come.”
For his part, incoming chairman Seaga emphasized that the leadership shakeup balances continuity of JFP’s core mission with fresh vision to capitalize on emerging opportunities. “JFP has built an incredibly strong foundation over its history, and we are now moving into a new growth phase that requires both steady continuity and new perspectives,” Seaga explained. “I want to thank Lisa Bell for her indispensable leadership and contributions during this pivotal period for the company. I’m eager to work closely with the full board and management team to build on the progress we’ve already made, and keep delivering long-term value for our shareholders, customers, and employees.”
Melis, the newly appointed CEO, echoed that sentiment, saying he plans to build on the momentum the company has already generated in recent months. Since joining JFP in June 2025, Melis has already spearheaded the rollout of 58 targeted improvement initiatives across seven core business divisions, aimed at boosting operational efficiency, unlocking new regional market opportunities, strengthening quality assurance protocols, and scaling commercial activity. These early changes have already delivered measurable results: average contract values have jumped 50% to $4.8 million, while the company’s active project pipeline has expanded nearly fourfold to hit approximately $1.3 billion.
“Since joining the team, I’ve identified substantial untapped growth opportunities for JFP across Jamaica, the Caribbean, and the broader Central American region,” Melis said. “My top priority in this new role will be driving forward a bold regional and international expansion strategy that covers both sales and procurement, allowing us to extend our reach into new markets and business segments we haven’t yet tapped into. We’re building a more agile, precise, and far-reaching business, and I’m fully committed to accelerating that progress as we enter this next phase of scaling.”
Company leadership noted that the leadership transition comes at a time of solid improvement for JFP’s operations and commercial outlook. Over the past 12 months, the firm has prioritized disciplined cost management, refined pricing strategies, tighter operational oversight, and a renewed focus on commercial execution. These efforts have put the company on a clear path back to profitability, and positioned it to pursue both sustained local growth in Jamaica and strategic expansion across the wider Caribbean and Central American region.