Nearly $6 billion worth of SVL shares remain with major holder

Ian Levy, the third-largest shareholder in Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL), has transferred his direct stake in the company to a holding entity of which he remains the beneficial owner.

It forms part of trust planning for Levy.

“No, I didn’t sell any shares. It was just a matter of transferring from one to the other; from Ian Levy to Ian Levy Trust,” he told the Financial Gleaner.

His direct holding of 342.54 million shares was transferred on August 24. In a regulatory filing with the Jamaica Stock Exchange, Supreme Ventures Limited advised that, as part of a financial restructuring exercise, a major shareholder and related party sold the exact number of shares held by Levy, though it declined to name the shareholder.

Levy — an estimated 81 years old, based on his July 2020 retirement from the SVL board under the company’s mandatory retirement-age rule, which the board raised to 75 from 73 in 2018 — worked closely with the company’s founders and was instrumental in negotiating the licence that led to the formation of the lottery company. The company was incorporated in 1995 by its three founding directors — Paul Hoo, Ian Levy and Peter Stewart — though they did not secure a licence until 1999. That allowed SVL to officially launch its flagship lottery operations on June 25, 2001.

Among present major shareholders, Zodiac International Investments Ltd holds the largest controlling block, at approximately 30.79 per cent. Mayberry Group Limited/Mayberry affiliates hold a significant stake approaching 19.89 per cent. Levy, a co-founder and major insider, holds roughly 12.9 per cent of the company’s shares. The remaining balance of the top 10 shareholders is made up of institutional and mutual fund investors, including regional insurance pools, equity funds such as Sagicor and Sigma, and investment brokerages.

Levy said he has no plans to let go of his shares in the listed company any time soon.

“Supreme has a great future. I see no reason to cut off from that right now. If the present growth trajectory continues and the investments in Africa are realised, Supreme Ventures will be the biggest company in Jamaica…. . That is my belief,” Levy said.

At the close of trading on Monday, SVL traded at $17.35, down 13 cents, or 0.74 per cent. In its second-quarter June 2026 report, SVL Group recorded net profit of $810 million on revenues of J$8.8 billion.

neville.graham@gleanerjm.com