Prominent media administrator and practitioner Yvonne Wilks-O’Grady has been included in the prestigious King’s New Year Honour List for 2024, and is set to be awarded the Order of the British Empire, OBE, by the King of England on New Year’s Day.
She’s receiving the OBE for outstanding and extensive contributions to the fields of media, publishing, and charity. Mrs. Wilks-O’Grady is being acknowledged for her impact on the media landscape in Jamaica and the United Kingdom.
Mrs. Wilks-O’Grady returned to Jamaica in 1998, where she took on the role of director of marketing at the RJR Communications Group. She played a pivotal role in the company’s transformation from Radio Jamaica to the RJR Communications Group.
During her time there, she was also instrumental in the relaunch of JBC/Super Supreme TV as Television Jamaica.
Mrs. Wilks-O’Grady departed the RJR Communications group to become deputy managing director of the Voice Media group in the United Kingdom in 2005.
She is described as a trailblazer in the media industry, with her fingerprints felt across a variety of renowned publications, including Root Magazine, which she co-founded, The Weekly Journal, Pride Magazine, Reader’s Digest, TV Guide, New Woman Magazine, and the Weekly Gleaner.
In addition to her work in media, Mrs. Wilks-O’Grady has contributed to charitable causes. Notably, her influence extends to the Genesis Academy, a school for children and young adults with disabilities and special needs. Mrs. Wilks-O’Grady’s daughter, Savanna Wilks, is on the extreme spectrum of autism.
The OBE is the second highest ranking order of the British Empire outside of a knighthood.
The OBE ranks behind the Order of the British Empire in the Commander Class, CBE, and ahead of the Order of the British Empire Member Class, MBE.
Among those to have received an OBE are Harry Potter author JK Rowling, footballer and entrepreneur David Beckham, and actress Keira Knightley. (WiredJA)
