The investment house Barita, founded by Rita Humphries-Lewin in 1977, has grown and been transformed but will continue to bear Humphries-Lewin’s imprimatur.

Last month, she was conferred with Jamaica’s fifth highest honour, membership in the Order of Jamaica (OJ). At a gathering to celebrate this achievement, Paul Simpson, chairman of Cornerstone vowed to continue her legacy.

Cornerstone, a privately held investment holding company, acquired Barita for J$2.8 billion in August of 2018 and today it is valued at J$110 billion. Cornerstone has a fund of US$500 million and a portfolio of diverse assets including in excess of 2,000 acres in real estate properties.

Speaking at the intimate gathering, Simpson said: “Six years ago, when speaking with Karl (Rita’s husband) and Rita, we promised to carry the business forward. We began speaking in February 2017 and closed the deal in August 2018.

“Rita said that we should remember to always stay in our lane and persevere. We gave her our word that we would never change the name (Barita) and that we would grow the business. We vowed to continue her legacy.

“She broke the glass ceiling for women in Jamaica and gave a second chance to many people.”

The Barita Group is made up of Barita Investments Limited and its subsidiary, Barita Unit Trusts Management Company Limited.

Lewin was the first female chair of a Caribbean stock exchange, heading the JSE in 1984 and again between 1995 to 2000.

Managing Director of the JSE, Dr Marlene Street Forrest points out that, since Barita listed in 2009, its stock price has appreciated in value by over 3,000 per cent.