Since childhood, Andrew Williams, founder and CEO of Regency Petroleum Limited (RPL), has combined his strategic thinking and strong relationships to achieve success in his long-term goals.

Born the youngest of three siblings in Westmoreland, Williams displayed a natural flair for business from an early age. His entrepreneurial spirit began to take shape during his childhood days at Paradise Preparatory and later at Frome Preparatory, where he would buy pencils and sharpeners in bulk, only to resell them for a profit.

Munro ‘old boy’

He credits his high school experiences as a pivotal chapter in his life and where he learned the importance of fostering strong relationships through good ethics which he carried into his adult life. Williams’ attended Munro College and during his seven years at the boarding school, he excelled academically while actively engaging in various extracurricular activities.

His involvement with organisations like the Red Cross, UNESCO, 4H, and the cadet corps demonstrated his commitment to community development, and he eventually became the head of the cadet corps, significantly increasing its enrollment during his tenure.

After pursuing an accounting degree at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Williams returned to Westmoreland to assist his family’s business, Batteries and Accessories, which sold and distributed automobile lubricants. This experience laid the groundwork for his future ventures, and after advice from the late Jeffrey Myrie, he ventured out to start his first cement distribution business in Westmoreland.

As the distribution business grew, he observed the convenience of incorporating other closely related products into his business to better serve customers and facilitate suppliers. He got the idea to include the distribution of hardware products such as building materials and eventually open the store, Central Supplies and Construction. During this time, he married his college sweetheart Jeneive Sabdul Williams, who is an accomplished attorney-at-law in the parish, and started his own family.

The journey to success was not without its challenges. Williams faced setbacks during the recession, which forced him to reevaluate and adapt his business model. With support from an associate and his older brother Robert Williams, he transformed his company into a B2B enterprise focusing on hardware and building materials supply to construction companies as well as worked in the construction industry with his brother.

However, the turning point came when he was introduced to a lubricant supplier from Trinidad seeking a distributor in Jamaica. Drawing from his previous experience in the lubricant industry, Williams founded Master Lube in 2015.

“I knew the lubricant business from my time working with my father and I could see that this lubricant would be very attractive to customers on the lower end due to its affordability which motivated me to start Master Lube in 2015,” said Williams.

As Master Lube gained momentum, Williams discovered the potential for incorporating liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) under his company’s portfolio. He navigated the complexities of the industry and obtained the necessary permits and contracts to enter the cooking gas market. With a recommendation from Petrojam Limited and strategic advice from financial experts at Mayberry Investments Limited, Williams entered the petrol business and merged it with his cooking gas business and in 2022, joined the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

Williams credits a lot of his success to his faith and the support he has received from his family and associates. Despite his growing ambitions, he remains closely connected to his alma mater through the Munro Old Boys’ Association and was even one of the sponsors at the Lindy Delapenha Golf Classic last Sunday, July 16.