Page 76 - Food&Drink magazine November-December 2022

YEAR IN REVIEW
On the move
There were plenty of people movements in the leadership ranks this year. Here are the highlights.
LION GROUP
CEO SAM FISCHER
Sam Fischer was the president of Diageo Asia Pacific and Global
FËNN FOODS
CEO TONY ROWLINSON
Tony Rowlinson’s appointment as CEO came after a successful
$3 million capital raise. He has extensive FMCG experience, most recently as CEO and managing director of ASX listed juice and functional beverage company The Food Revolution Group (FOD). Prior to FOD, Rowlinson worked with Coca Cola Company, SCA/ Carter Holt Harvey, and Simplot, where he established the Meals Centre of Excellence for Chilled and Frozen Ready Meals,
Fënn Foods was founded in 2015 by Alejandro Cancino and Paola Moro, who have continued in executive roles in the business.
AACO
CEO HUGH KILLEN
Australian Agricultural Company (AACo) CEO and managing director Hugh Killen resigned suddenly in June. AACo chair Donald McGauchie said the company’s COO Dave Harris would act as interim CEO while a search for Killen’s replacement took place. Killen joined the company in 2017, and became managing director and CEO in 2018.
CEO AND MD DAVID HARRIS
In September, AACo announced the interim MD and CEO David Harris would officially take on the roles. Harris was COO since March 2020 and has been with the company since 2016. His focus had been improving the agricultural giant’s operational performance. He has experience in supply chain and large-scale intensive farming production systems, having held senior roles at Stanbroke, Smithfield Cattle Co, and his own private agricultural consultancy.
FONTERRA
MD OF STRATEGY AND OPTIMISATION EMMA PARSONS
In a newly created role, dairy co-op Fonterra appointed Emma Parsons to managing director of Strategy and Optimisation. Parsons most recent role was general manager Capital Strategy and leading the development of the co-op’s new capital structure.
The new role will oversee the implementation of Fonterra’s strategy to deliver on its Long Term Aspirations and focus on demand choices, and portfolio and asset management using analytics.
COSTA GROUP
CEO AND MD SEAN HALLAHAN
Costa Group CEO and managing director Sean Hallahan announced his resignation and stepped down immediately in September. He had been with the the fresh produce company for five years, and in the CEO role since March 2021. Hallahan said there were “several things” than played a role in his decision.
Harry Debney, the previous CEO for 11 years and currently a non executive director, will be interim chair while a replacement is found.
MAGGIE BEER HOLDINGS
CEO AND MD CHANTALE MILLARD
CEO and managing director of Maggie Beer Holdings Chantale Millard will be resigning at
the end of 2022, saying that
with much of the company’s transformation completed it was a good time to stepdown. She has led the company through
a restructure, transformation, and growth, including the capital raise, acquisition, and integration of Hampers & Gifts Australia in 2021 and the divestment of its dairy assets.
Travel before taking the helm Lion. Lion chair Sir Rod Eddington said he brought “30 years of global leadership experience, deep expertise in alcohol beverages and FMCG businesses and a strong track record in driving business growth” to the business.
at
Prior to Diageo, Fischer spent 15 years with Colgate-Palmolive in Australia and several markets in Europe and Asia.
LARK DISTILLING
CEO GEOFF BAINBRIDGE
Lark Distilling managing director and CEO Geoff Bainbridge resigned due to an alleged blackmail campaign.
Bainbridge stepped down the day after the board of the ASX listed company were told about the incident. He told The Sydney Morning Herald that he had been stalked for six years over an incident in a South- East Asian country just after he had left the burger business he co-founded, Grill’d.
76 | Food&Drink business | November-December 2022 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au