CPJ shuffles leadership
Published:Friday | September 26, 2025 | 12:07 AM
Caribbean Producers Jamaica Limited, CPJ, will have a new interim boss at month-end, and has eliminatea a management position, as the new owner eyes further expansion.
Juan Baez will step in as interim CEO, while Nicholas Hospedales will step down, effective September 30, to focus on CPJ’s operations in Trinidad & Tobago. At the same time, the position of general manager, which was held by Charles D’Agostino, has been made redundant.
Hospedales became CEO of CPJ just over a year ago, in July 2024, when the business was acquired by AS Bryden and Sons Holdings, a member of the Seprod Group. He will return to Trinidad & Tobago to lead a special project and oversee CPJ’s warehouse and distribution hub.
“Our first year was about understanding the business and stabilising operations,” said Richard Pandohie, CEO of Seprod Group and Brydens Group.
Pandohie explained that much of the leadership focus was initially on implementing the enterprise resource planning system initiated under the previous owners — a process that required “discipline and operational oversight” – rather than external expansion.
“That phase called for a different type of leadership than what we need now as we pivot into a regional growth mode,” said Pandohie, who is also the chairman of CPJ since July 2024.
CPJ now plans to scale its manufacturing operations and deepen engagement with both customers and vendors.
“As we shift into expansion, we are making deliberate moves to realign our teams. These adjustments are designed to place the right talent in the right markets, with a clear focus on enhancing our capabilities in Trinidad and Jamaica. This flexibility ensures we can maximise performance across the region,” said Pandohie.
Seprod, Brydens and CPJ are all listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
At half-year, January to June 2025, CPJ reported revenue of US$88.4 million, up from US$76 million a year earlier.
Baez, currently head of route to market operations at Seprod, has over 30 years of experience in commercial management and sales operations across the Caribbean.
“The board is confident in his ability to guide the company through this transitional period and advance its strategic objectives,” CPJ said.