Beyond Borders
Written by Arthur Lok Jack
Director, Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business
Former Chairman/CEO, Associated Brands Group of Companies
Former Director, Consolidated Biscuits (Malta)
Former Director, Sunshine Snacks (Malta)
Beyond Borders isn’t just a story of business success. It’s a testament to resilience, ambition, and the unwavering belief that with the right mindset, anything is possible.
Beyond Borders… Building a Global Business
Beyond Borders is the deeply personal story of Arthur Lok Jack, as told by the man himself, and the journey that gave us childhood memories with Sunshine Snacks, Charles Chocolates, Universal Cereals and Devon Biscuits from abil-tt.com as well as the ability to soar at lokjackgsb.edu.tt.
The story narrates his childhood life in St. James and captures the heart and hustle behind a life built on purpose. Arthur shares the moments that shaped him most, like how Catch became a household name and ALJGSB a trendsetter in education, as well as his early sparks of ambition, his fight with leukemia and the unwavering love of family that carried him through it all.
With Beyond Borders, we get intimate access to one of the Caribbean’s most influential thinkers and a timely reminder that success is not just about what we build, but the lives we touch and the legacies we leave behind.
"Here Arthur Lok Jack's work is unique as he recalls his career with a sense of immediacy. The conversational quality in which the experience is conveyed brings the reader close to an understanding of his career. What emerges is a man faithful to his career with no inhibitions of his pursuits in his desire to find fulfillment."
- Clifford Narinesingh
Inside the Mind that Launched a Legacy!
Arthur Lok Jack is a bold, larger than life personality whose relentless drive for success has made him a household name in Trinidad & Tobago.
Born to Chinese and Indian immigrants, he honed his work ethic in his parents’ small shop in St. James. A carefree student with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, he was drawn to the stories of entrepreneurs. Refusing simply to admire them from a distance he resolved to become one of them.
With little experience but boundless determination, he approached every venture with curiosity and creativity, pioneering business strategies that stood the test of time. Failures came, as they do for anyone who aims high, but he never waivered. His mantra “Attitude determines altitude,” became his reality.
In 1974, he founded Associated Brands Investments Ltd. and then the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business in 1989.
In recognition of his many achievements, he received the title “Master Entrepreneur” from Ernst & Young in 2001, the Chaconia Medal Gold (T&T’s second highest honour) in 2004, and was recognised as a Caribbean Luminary by University of the West Indies in 2002.
His philanthropic work and mentorship continue to empower Caribbean entrepreneurs to think globally.
Arthur Lok Jack’s journey wasn’t his alone. His wife Glenda and sons Gregory, Christopher and Nicholas stood beside him shaping a legacy that now lives on through them.
A Legacy of Success
We Make the Caribbean’s Best Memories!
For over half a century, children and adults alike have had a reason to smile!
Whether it’s because of Catch or Cheezees, a Devon biscuit or Universal cereal, Arthur Lok Jack’s entreprenerial spirit has been responsible for carrying the Caribbean’s favourite snack foods, chocolates and confectionery, biscuits and breakfast cereals from T&T to 20 countries in the Americas and distant markets, such as Taiwan and Ireland.
The operation started in 1974 with a range of chocolate products, expanded to include chips, nuts, cereals and biscuits and continues to innovate under the leadership of Arthur’s youngest son, Nicholas.
Challenge the Status Quo!
Conveniently located at the foothills of the northern range mountains, the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business carries the name of the man who built his success on ambition, resilience and vision.
Arthur Lok Jack is not only known for his business acumen but also for his belief that innovation can be taught and that the spirit of enterprise is something to be nurtured.
Although based in the Caribbean, the ALJGSB reach extends far beyond the islands, drawing students and ideas from around the world.
Here, learning is about discovery — discovery of industries, discovery of opportunities and, often, discovery of self. In many ways, the school and its graduates embody Arthur’s own philosophy that success comes from courage, curiosity and a willingness to build something new.
