Brian Langrin appointed Bank of Jamaica governor, succeeding Richard Byles
Key Points(5)
- Brian Langrin has been appointed governor of the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ), succeeding Richard Byles, whose seven-year term ends Tuesday.
- Langrin will assume office on Wednesday, Aug.
- 19, according to an announcement Monday by Finance and Public Service Minister Fayval Williams.
- His appointment was made by the Governor-General in Council following a selection process led by a search committee established in April.
- The committee considered a field of local and international candidates before selecting Langrin, who brings more than two decades of experience in central banking, financial stability and multilateral development institutions.
Dr. R. Brian Langrin has been appointed governor of the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ), succeeding Richard Byles, whose seven-year term ends Tuesday.
Langrin will assume office on Wednesday, Aug. 19, according to an announcement Monday by Finance and Public Service Minister Fayval Williams. His appointment was made by the Governor-General in Council following a selection process led by a search committee established in April.
The committee considered a field of local and international candidates before selecting Langrin, who brings more than two decades of experience in central banking, financial stability and multilateral development institutions.
Langrin has held senior positions at the Bank of Jamaica in financial stability and economic research. He also served as a financial stability adviser at the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC), an International Monetary Fund-administered regional body, where he advised central banks across the Caribbean.
He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Pennsylvania State University and has published extensively on financial stability and monetary policy.
Williams described Langrin as a “forward-looking leader” whose experience in monetary policy, financial stability, innovation and regional and international cooperation will help Jamaica navigate a changing global economy.
“The Government reaffirms its full commitment to the independence of the Bank of Jamaica and to the continuity of the sound monetary and financial policies that have anchored our economic stability,” Williams said.
Langrin said he was honored to take on the role at a pivotal time for Jamaica.
“I am committed to preserving the Bank’s hard-won credibility and independence, to keeping inflation low and stable, and to advancing the modernisation of our financial system for the benefit of every Jamaican,” he said.
Byles leaves after seven years
Langrin succeeds Byles, who has led the central bank since August 2019.
During his tenure, Byles guided monetary policy through several major economic shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a global surge in inflation, Hurricane Beryl in 2024, Hurricane Melissa in 2025, and the Middle East war and resulting oil shock in 2026.
Under Byles, the Bank of Jamaica strengthened its formal inflation-targeting framework and worked to return inflation toward its target range while maintaining financial system stability.
His tenure also included the implementation of the Bank of Jamaica’s statutory independence under the Bank of Jamaica (Amendment) Act, 2020, and the launch of JAM-DEX, Jamaica’s central bank digital currency.
Williams thanked Byles for what she described as “distinguished and consequential service,” saying he guided the country’s monetary policy through an extraordinary period.
“He leaves the Bank stronger and more independent than he found it,” Williams said. “He leaves a legacy of stability on which Dr. Langrin will build.”
Langrin is married and has three children.
