RJRGLEANER CEO Anthony Smith dies after brief illness

Chief Executive Officer of the RJRGLEANER Communications Group, Anthony Smith, has died.

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The company announced Sunday that Smith passed away earlier that morning following a brief period of illness.

Smith was appointed CEO in January 2024, after joining the RJRGLEANER Communications Group in October 2022 as Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Print and Digital Media.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Anthony’s immediate and extended family at this time,” the company said in a statement on Sunday.

Tributes have since poured in from across Jamaica’s media and public sectors.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange said she was “deeply saddened” by Smith’s sudden passing, describing him as one of the country’s outstanding media leaders.

“With Smith’s death we have lost yet another of the outstanding leaders of our media fraternity,” Grange said in a statement issued Monday. She extended condolences to Smith’s family, friends, associates, and the RJRGLEANER Communications Group.

The Media Association of Jamaica (MAJ), which represents media owners, also paid tribute, acknowledging his passing with “profound regret.”

The Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) likewise expressed condolences.
“I extend sincere condolences to the board, management, staff and wider RJRGLEANER Communications Group family on the passing of Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Smith,” said CBU President Andrew Greene. “We also express our deepest sympathy to his loved ones. We join you in mourning this sad loss.”

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An engineer by training, Smith previously held several senior executive roles in the telecommunications sector in Jamaica and across the wider Caribbean. His career included leadership positions at Cable & Wireless and Massy Technologies Limited, before transitioning into media management.

Smith’s death marks a significant loss for Jamaica’s media industry, where he was widely regarded for his leadership in print, digital transformation, and corporate strategy.