“My greatest desire is not to make a lot of money for myself, but to have a clean heart and a pure spirit.” 

This statement sums up the mission of late corporate leader and co-founder of JMMB, Joan Duncan, who on October 17 was posthumously conferred with the nation’s fifth highest honour, Order of Jamaica (OJ), during the annual National Honours and Awards ceremony held at King’s House.

Duncan was recognised for her distinguished service to the banking sector and the development of the money market.

Donna Duncan-Scott, one of the daughters of the late co-founder, collected the award on the occasion, from Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, who presided over the ceremony. 

In speaking to the significance of the award, Duncan-Scott noted that it was timely as JMMB Group celebrates its 30th anniversary and builds on the legacy laid by her mother.

“I felt a joy in my heart, I felt a deep sense of gratitude that this country that mummy had stood for was recognising the transformational leadership that she provided in the financial sector by pioneering the money market in Jamaica and also in creating a different kind of corporate culture and love-based client care, where clients felt valued, heard and served with equality and equity,” Duncan-Scott said.

Duncan-Scott, who is also executive director of culture and human development at JMMB Group, added: “She (Joan Duncan) has lived a honourary life and not because she was perfect, instead she learnt from her mistakes and lived her life based on her values of openness, honesty and care and sought to create a company based on unconditional love. Coming from being a dressmaker, living hand to mouth, to creating a multi-billion-dollar company speaks to what is possible when you are living true to your values and I hope that her life can serve as an inspiration to all Jamaicans.” 

The Legacy Lives On

JMMB has grown from being the first money market brokerage house in Jamaica to a regional financial services provider, with operations in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and the Dominican Republic, offering a range of services to more than 400,000 clients, including investments, banking, fund management, insurance brokerage and remittance.

The JMMB Group exec, Duncan-Scott, outlined that she was proud that the legacy of her mother lives on and forms the architecture of the company’s culture as team members seek to daily live true to the Vision of Love.

The late Joan Duncan was among nine other Jamaicans recognised with the Order of Jamaica for outstanding contribution to nation building. The other awardees included: actress and cultural ambassador, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Olympics icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce; Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sports Minister Olivia Grange; renowned Jamaican jazz pianist, Monty Alexander; veteran permanent secretary, Audrey Sewell; Justice (ret’d) Karl Harrison; Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan; businesswoman, Rita Lewin; and Professor Alvin Wint.