LONG before he took the helm as president and chief executive officer of Sagicor Group Jamaica, Christopher Zacca learnt a lesson from his father that would shape every major decision of his life: Never compromise your integrity. Decades later, he believes that same principle has guided a career that has now earned him one of Jamaica’s highest national honours.

For Zacca, who is among seven Jamaicans vested with the Order of Jamaica (OJ) in this year’s national honours and awards, the recognition is less about corporate success and more about a lifetime of service across business, government and national development. From overseeing engineering operations at Desnoes & Geddes, leading Air Jamaica, and serving as special adviser to former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, to two terms as Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) president and now leading one of the Caribbean’s largest financial services groups, he has spent more than four decades helping to shape modern Jamaica. Yet, when asked what the honour meant to him, his first response was one of gratitude.

“Well, it’s very emotional, and a deep honour. And, you know, it’s a long journey I’ve been on. I’ve done a lot of things in the private and the public sector and I really am thankful to the country for recognising the efforts that I’ve done,” he told the Jamaica Observer last Thursday.

That journey, he said, began not in a boardroom but at home, with his father impressing upon him the importance of character over convenience.

Recalling the lesson that has remained his compass throughout a career that has crossed industries and political administrations, Zacca said integrity has never simply been an admirable quality, but a practical necessity for leadership.

“I think it [integrity] has been the foundation. As a leader you have to be able to make tough decisions, [and] integrity doesn’t mean being a nice guy but it means that in whatever you do, whatever decisions you make, you do them for the right reasons and for the good of the organisation — whether it’s the Government, whether it’s a private sector company, etc. You do what you have to do for the good of all the stakeholders, including the team members that work for the company,” said Zacca who in 2024 was honoured with the prestigious American Friends of Jamaica International Achievement Award, became the 30th inductee into the PSOJ Hall of Fame, and was conferred with the Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa by the University of Technology, Jamaica.

He acknowledged that remaining true to those values has not always been easy, particularly in leadership, as there is often pressure to choose convenience over principle.

“A lot of times you are enticed to do stuff for expediency, or because it makes people happy… and it’s very difficult, I think, for anybody, much less a person in leadership, to always stay true to their core, but I think that it serves anybody, at any level, in any organisation, to do that. Stay true to your core beliefs, stay true to what is right. Make decisions based on the facts and also what is best for the people around you,” he stated.

Although much of his career has been spent in corporate leadership, Zacca said a lot of his greatest fulfilment came from serving the country in other capacities. From his time as special adviser to Golding to his work on Government boards and in public-private partnerships, he said those experiences gave him a deeper appreciation of the challenges and rewards of public service.

“It has always been very rewarding at the end of the day to say, ‘Boy, I made a little difference.’ Not a huge difference, but I made a little difference. And you get to understand that different sectors have different driving forces, and you get to understand what stresses and difficulties politicians face,” he noted.

Zacca also used the opportunity to challenge what he described as a common misconception about Jamaica’s public service, saying his experience working alongside civil servants has given him a greater appreciation for their professionalism.

“You just go in there and you say, ‘The bureaucrats, the civil servants, they do nothing,’ which is absolutely wrong. I have met hundreds and hundreds of civil servants who are top-class professionals and who are as good as anybody in the private sector. I just have to be able to work with them,” he acknowledged.

Now leading Sagicor Group Jamaica through a merger aimed at creating a stronger Caribbean-wide organisation, Zacca said his ambitions extend well beyond financial performance. He hopes the company continues investing in businesses and communities across the region while maintaining a strong tradition of corporate philanthropy through Sagicor Foundation.

In the meantime, Zacca believes the qualities that define successful leadership have changed little, even in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and rapid technological change. While embracing innovation is essential, he argued that trust and human relationships remain irreplaceable.

“You have to understand how technology can assist in boosting your productivity, and boosting your ability to get an edge over those you are competing with… But you also have to maintain the personal relationships… If you leave out the people relationships, you can get far but you won’t get really to your full, complete goal,” he added.

Those relationships and the integrity that underpins them remain the true measure of a life well lived, argued Zacca who will receive his insignia and instrument of office on National Heroes’ Day in October.