Businessman and banker Paul Simpson celebrates his birthday today and this year has been yet another memorable milestone in his mercurial career.

Earlier this year he was blessed to welcome another child into the world with his wife.

Simpson, a graduate of the University of the West Indies and the holder of an MBA in General Management, very much leads the pack of the young business leaders now making their presence felt on Jamaica’s business landscape.

He founded the regional investment company Cornerstone in 2013 and in 2018 went on to acquire one of the oldest stock brokerages in Jamaica, Barita Investments for J$3 billion. Today Barita is worth J$115 billion.

Simpson created Cornerstone as a vehicle to focus on creating shareholder value through investing in high growth and undervalued companies, mergers and acquisitions. It started out with assets under management of US$100 million and has grown that today to US$2.2 billion. This was accomplished in just a decade and still there’s not a grey hair in sight on Paul Simpson’s head!

Last year he put together a 2000 acre real estate portfolio including Reggae Beach. Cornerstone’s real estate fund now is in excess of J$20 billion.

Other business leaders in his peer group in Jamaica inherited family businesses or were anointed by old kings making the transition. Simpson is remarkable in that he built a significant finance house garnering experience as a young banking executive before paving his own path.

One can draw parallels with founder and CEO of Pershing Square, Bill Ackman, a maverick unafraid to take on established figures and stay in the fight.

Today, Cornerstone stands as one of the leading investment companies in the region with a diversified portfolio of businesses.

Let’s raise a glass to Paul Simpson. Happy birthday.