The first of four children, young William attended Priory Preparatory School, and then Campion College. He moved on to study engineering and minor in information systems at Boston’s Northeastern University. Wisynco, a family business which William joined in 1988 upon returning from tertiary studies, started out as the Mahfood Commercial Limited.
From loading trucks and warehouses, to working in sales and packing cups, William worked his way up the ranks to become Wisynco’s Managing Director in 1994 – a defining moment that confirmed the effectiveness of his father’s firm discipline on one who would become captain of industry.
William Mahfood, the consummate innovator, led Wisynco’s diversification from being a producer of plastic, rubber and synthetic products to successfully produce Jamaica’s most popular water brand – WATA. This success was extended into produce an award-winning flavoured water brand – Ocean Spray WATA. The Wisynco Group Ltd is also the proud producer of the BIGGA brand of carbonated beverages, while boasting Jamaica’s first and only locally produced energy drink, BOOM.
With an eye on sustained growth, this visionary nation builder launched Wisynco Foods – which operates three Wendy’s locations, 11 Domino’s Pizzas, and a Haagen Daaz bistro in Kingston. Wisynco Foods owns a franchise for Coca-Cola in Jamaica and has expanded sales relationships with some of the island’s biggest outfits – including Burger King, Mother’s and Palace Amusement.
Today, Wisynco employs upwards of 1600 people, while – in addition to distributing and manufacturing more than 3500 products, cutting edge marketing best practices; first-rate sales and customer service support; a strong focus on staff development and motivation; top-class manufacturing and production standards are some of the things William insists is key to the company’s success.
William sits on the boards of many charitable organisations, a facet of his life and Wisynco’s operations that is often not trumpeted. He is also a firm believer in responsible corporate citizenship, and his work with Food For The Poor is testament to that. Food For The Poor was founded 25 years ago, by Ferdinand Mahfood and his 3 brothers Sam, Joe (William’s father) and Robin. The organisation has grown to be one of the top 5 largest relief agencies in the United States, and certainly one of the largest relief agencies in Jamaica. Like his father and uncles, William serves on the local board, overseeing policies that ensure aid - of every kind - gets to whoever needs it.
Married to wife Frances Feanny and father to four wonderful children, William Mahfood is not just a proud son of Jamaica – he’s a shining example of hard work, discipline and dedication.
