Left: R. Danny Williams has been chairman of Jamaica Broilers since 2000. Right: Robert Levy, president of Jamaica Broilers Group, is to step down in February 2009. - File photos

Raby Danvers 'Danny' Williams is expected to give up his chairmanship of the Jamaica Broilers Group early next year, but the five-decade-old poultry company is making plans to link his name to the business through a lifelong directorship.

At the same time, the Financial Gleaner has also learned that a date for the departure of president Robert Levy, 68, whose family has majority shares in the company, has also been set for next February.

Company Secretary Peter DePass would not comment on the president's successor.

But Levy's plan to step down has long been telegraphed to the market, and speculation is that his son, Christopher Levy, a senior vice-president in the poultry company, would likely replace him.

The junior Levy is head of operations and also in charge of the 16-month-old and highly lucrativeJB Ethanol Limited subsidiary.

Robert Levy's resignation is expected to coincide with Williams' retirement as chairman.

Williams, who turned 74 in July, is most famously known to Jamaica as the man who founded Life of Jamaica - now Sagicor Life Jamaica - and as a minister of government in the 1970s.

Director Emeritus

But he has had a 30-year history with Jamaica Broilers, eight as chairman. He holds 8.37 million shares in Broilers largely through his company Ravers Limited, but is not among the top-10 shareholders.

Broilers has called an extra-ordinary general meeting of shareholders to vote on a proposal for Williams to be named 'Director Emeritus'.

DePass told the Financial Gleaner that the title was being created in the group for the first time and, as such, require an amendment to the company's Articles of Incorporation, specifi-cally articles 75, 95 and 98.

"There is a proposal by the directors to nominate him (Williams) to be a director emeritus," he told the Financial Gleaner. "This is something new for the company and this is because of his contribution to the company."

The meeting is scheduled for November 26 at Broiler's head-quarters at McCook's Pen, St Catherine, to vote on the resolution.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com