Management and Leadership Team Profiles

 

Alastair Symington

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

Alastair joined Blackmores as Group CEO and Managing Director in September 2019. He is a global business leader and brand builder with more than 24 years of consumer goods experience in health and beauty across multiple geographies.

Alastair spent 10 years in a wide range of sales and marketing roles with Nestlé and Gillette in Australia, before joining Procter & Gamble (P&G) in 2005 and moving to Singapore in 2008 where he was responsible for strategy and planning across APAC for the beauty and grooming categories. During this time he led global and regional teams, including as China Managing Director for Wella based in Shanghai. 

In 2016, Alastair joined Coty as part of the merger between P&G specialty beauty brands and the former Coty company, helping to transform it into the third largest beauty company in the world. In his last role at Coty, he was Senior Vice President of APAC, Latin America and the Middle East. 

Alastair has a Bachelor of Economics and a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Business from Monash University, and studied Mandarin while living and working in Shanghai. He is passionate about finding ways to connect more people to holistic health solutions, believing that healthy people and their pets naturally lead to a healthier planet.

 

Toru Yamasaki

Deputy CEO and Chief Strategy Officer

With Kirin’s health science business vision, “To become a partner for a healthy and happy lifestyle in the age of 100-year life”, Toru became a Blackmores member with the desire to contribute to the positive health outcomes of people around the world.

Toru has over 30 years of experience in a number of leadership, marketing and corporate strategy roles at Kirin Holdings, Japan.

Beginning his career with Kirin Holdings in consumer insights and understanding, Toru has held roles in general management and new product development for some of Japan's leading beer brands. Toru was a founding member of Kirin Holdings Singapore, and regional headquarters in Southeast Asia and led business development across the region and leadership of the Thailand and Vietnam operations. After seven years in Southeast Asia, Toru returned to Japan as General Manager of Corporate Strategy for Kirin. 

Following the establishment of Kirin’s new health science business, Toru was appointed as its Executive Officer, and one of the first projects was the acquisition of Blackmores Group. Toru was impressed with Blackmores’ leadership position in natural health in Australia and across Asia and thought that Blackmores would be the ideal partner to work with in the future. His appointment to Deputy CEO and Chief Strategy Officer at Blackmores Group is a role that Toru will relish.

Toru has an Economics major from the Yokohama National University and completed a bachelor’s degree. Toru also completed a Master of Business Administration at Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.

Why Blackmores Group? Blackmores is a brand with great heritage that has been loved in Australia for generations, while at the same time bringing to market new product innovations through its product development and Institute. Kirin is also a traditional brand in Japan, but it is forging ahead with its health science domain with the aim of drastically changing its business and product portfolio. Both companies have many things in common and share the same culture of valuing people.

Must-have health and wellness tip? In Tokyo, I regularly visit the gym, I enjoy swimming and taking a sauna. Sauna is an effective way in improving immunity, and I hope it will become more popular in Australia.

Life outside of work : I enjoy traveling to different cities and discovering new places. In Australia, I hope to enjoy short weekend trips in and around Sydney along with road trips across the wonderful landscape in Australia together with my family.

 

Adjunct Associate Professor Lesley Braun

Director, Blackmores Institute

Passionate about growing the evidence-base for complementary medicine, Adjunct Associate Professor Dr Lesley Braun is a distinguished academic, pharmacist and naturopath. She leads our research and education centre of excellence, the Blackmores Institute, and in 2018 was named the CEO Magazine's Health & Pharmaceutical Executive of the Year.

Never one to compromise her ethics, Lesley was attracted to Blackmores’ unrivalled reputation for quality, joining us in 2014. She believes that making better healthcare available to all is a matter of social justice, which goes hand-in-hand with educating the public and medical profession about natural medicine options to really improve people’s lives. A regular presenter at health symposiums across Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America, Lesley says: ‘As a researcher, it’s very exciting to be able to develop new treatments and explore better ways of using existing ones. Building the evidence base so more people can benefit safely is the dream of academics in healthcare.’

In her spare time, Lesley is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (Western Sydney University) and has held research positions at The Alfred Hospital, Monash University. She is a member of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia’s Complementary and Integrative Therapies Group Executive, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Australian Institute of Company Directors, and Australia-China Business Council Health and Medical Research working group. She is also on the advisory committees for nutrition courses at Endeavour College and the Think Group. She is the main author of four best-selling textbooks including Herbs and Natural Supplements – an evidence based guide and founding Editor-in-Chief of the journal Advances in Integrative Medicine. 

Why Blackmores Group? I was attracted to Blackmores’ unrivalled reputation for quality and building the evidence base so more people can benefit safely is the dream of academics in healthcare.

Must-have health and wellness fix:  Getting into nature is my go-to therapy for the body and soul. Also, I was proudly vegetarian for twenty years before adding oily fish into my diet ten years ago for the Omega-3 health benefits.

Life outside of work: At work and in my personal life I love adventures and seek opportunities for personal growth. I try to make sure there is meaning and purpose behind everything I do and surround myself with people who have similar values.

 

Patrick Gibson

Chief Financial Officer

A passion for the holistic approach that natural health brings saw Patrick join Blackmores end February 2022 as its Chief Financial Officer.

Patrick is a proven finance and business leader with a +30-year career and over 20-years of consumer products sector experience in Europe, Middle East and Africa, having lived and worked in London, Istanbul and Durban. He has had a diverse global career leading teams in finance and IT and was most recently Group CFO at ASX-listed bathrooms and kitchens designer and supplier GWA Group Ltd. Prior to working at GWA, Patrick was Group CFO at, the then ASX-listed, Goodman Fielder and before that held senior roles at Brambles Limited and Unilever Plc. Patrick has a track record of driving significant business transformation and improvement and delivering sustainable profitable growth.

Patrick has a Bachelor of Economics degree, is a Fellow of: the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants; the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Governance Institute of Australia.

Why Blackmores Group? Blackmores is a trusted consumer brand with a long heritage in Australia and Asia-Pacific with significant growth potential in varied markets. In these Pandemic times we have all had to learn to take care of ourselves and others better. Blackmores is purpose led and has a strong reputation for innovative quality products that make a real difference to the lives of our consumers and their pets.

Must-have health and wellness fix:  As a Yachtmaster Offshore there is nothing that clears my mind and re-focuses me better than sailing, whether in local waters, or further afield exploring offshore locations.

Life outside of work: Family provides the focus for my time outside of work, from walking the dog to supporting my elderly mother, and my adult children as they find their own path in life. Family holidays are always a special time whether visiting family and friends in North America and Europe or, as most recently, enjoying time together hiking in Kosciuszko National Park.

 
Rob Callen

Chief Operating Officer

Rob Callen brings over 19 years of expertise in consumer goods, specialising in supply chain management, to Blackmores. Since August 2020, Rob has been instrumental in leading our Strategic Sourcing and Supply Chain Strategy, culminating in his appointment to the Executive Team in 2024 as our Chief Operating Officer.

Before joining our team, Rob dedicated 15 years to Lion Group, a part of the esteemed Kirin family, where he held various roles within commercial and supply chain functions. Driven by strong financial acumen and a deep commitment to customer-centric practices, Rob is passionate about delivering top-tier products and services while upholding Blackmores' social and environmental responsibilities. His dedication stems from his belief in the importance of making a positive impact and fostering highly engaged and diverse teams. 

Why Blackmores Group? Blackmores is an iconic, trusted brand, rooted in Australian heritage but with huge global potential. I find it highly rewarding, engaging, and easy to work for an organisation that aspires to connect the healing power of nature to 1 billion consumers.

Must-have health and wellness fix:  A daily dose of Omega 3 and some outdoor activity with the family. Whether that be a day at the beach, a game of sport, or a simple walk with our dog, being outdoors with those that I love is often the fix that I need.

Life outside of work: I like spending quality time with my wife and three beautiful daughters. Family camping holidays near the beach are a favourite, as well as a BBQ with family and friends. Most weekends you’ll otherwise find me cheering on my girls on the side of a netball court or soccer field.

 

Kiran Hajos

Chief People Officer

Kiran is driven by the desire to create an organisation that lives a culture of safety and wellbeing where employees are truly respected and equipped to manage their career and personal growth. This creates a strong connection to Blackmores Group being a leading natural health company focusing on consumer wellbeing. Kiran has been a senior member of the Blackmores Leadership Team since early 2019 and is a deeply experienced People and Culture practitioner with over 25 years’ experience. Prior to Blackmores, Kiran spent over 18 years with Fletcher Building and Diageo where she achieved consistently across portfolios which included transformation, change management, business partnering and industrial relations expertise.  

Kiran holds a degree in Psychology and has a Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management.

Why Blackmores Group?  Blackmores is an organisation that is deeply connected to its purpose and values, and this comes alive in every interaction with employees across the group. The depth of passion around natural health and wellbeing is aligned with my personal need to focus on my own wellbeing and those in my family.

Must-have health and wellness fix:  My favourite Blackmores product is Ashwagandha which has been so beneficial in managing my personal energy.

Life outside of work: Welcoming family and friends in my home to spend quality time together balanced with reading a good book (autobiographies are my favourite). I also love to travel, most recently around Australia and look forward to a new destination every year.

Supriya Singh

Managing Director, ANZ

Joining Blackmores in 2024, Supriya Singh is Blackmores Group’s Managing Director ANZ. Supriya has spent more than 25 years in leadership roles at McPhersons, L’Oreal, and Procter & Gamble, bringing many years of health and beauty leadership expertise, covering both brand building and commercial operations.

Supriya’s many years in the industry have seen her hold roles across the APAC region, with extensive experience in Southeast Asia, Japan and Greater China, highlighting Supriya’s unique understanding of the growth ambitions of Blackmores Group in partnership with Kirin Health Sciences.

With a passion for natural health and emphasis on being an inclusive and engaging leader with a customer focused mindset, Supriya aligns with the Blackmores culture seamlessly, as she upholds the importance of building a strong culture around performance, people and purpose.

Why Blackmores Group? I’ve always been passionate about health and the purpose and values of Blackmores fit perfectly with who I am. Blackmores is such a trusted and iconic brand, I am excited to have the opportunity to help it reach even greater heights.

Must-have health and wellness fix:  Running outdoors surrounded by nature, whether it’s beaches, parks or forests, is my happy place. 

Life outside of work: Spending time with my young family and close friends. Travelling as far and wide as I can - learning about different cultures and languages, trying new foods and meeting new people.

 

Andrew Fuary

Managing Director, SEAK

Andrew Fuary is Managing Director, South East Asia and Korea (SEAK), which sees him leverage over 25 years of expertise in Supply Chain and Operations, including at some of the largest FMCG/CPF and Food companies, Kimberly Clark, Procter & Gamble, Mondelez and J R Simplot Company. 

With a robust tenure of seven years in Thailand and five years in Singapore, Andrew honed his proficiency in Thai, and developed unparalleled expertise in navigating the complexities of the region. His cultural fluency and deep-rooted understanding of Southeast Asian markets uniquely position him for success as Managing Director for SEAK.

Originally joining Blackmores as Chief Operating Officer in June 2022, drawn by the allure of the company’s heritage and commitment to health, wellbeing and people, Andrew swiftly asserted himself as a catalyst for change. He spearheaded the introduction of World Class Operations, orchestrated a significant advancement in Integrated Business Planning, and implemented clearer performance metrics across our Warriewood and Braeside facilities. His influence transcends operational boundaries, extending to his pivotal role on the Board of the Indonesian JV and fostering vital supplier and customer connections throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Why Blackmores Group?  Blackmores is a trusted iconic brand that is recognized by so many people around the world. The opportunity to provide a healthy product range that improves and makes a difference in peoples lives… well that’s pretty special & something worth striving for.

Must-have health and wellness fix:  Being outdoors. Enjoying nature walks, time on the beach, walking our dogs or simply exercising.

Life outside of work:  Spending quality time with family & traveling to new places, new locations, experiencing new cultures and learning all there is to learn, every time we visit or meet with people.

 

Kitty Liu

Managing Director, China

With a strong marketing pedigree and reputation for great brand strategy and business growth, Kitty has more than two decades of experience with blue chip multi-national organisations including General Mills, Mead Johnson, Yum! and Unilever. She has successfully implemented omni channel strategies across e-commerce, including JBP experience with Alibaba and Tencent.

Kitty’s strong operating experience in China includes VP, Marketing Strategy & Sales Operation for Mead Johnson Nutrition, where she reshaped the infant and child nutrition product portfolio and sales strategy, achieving double-digit top line growth by gaining share in the winning channels of e-commerce B2C and mother and baby store chains.  

Kitty’s roll-up her sleeves approach to leadership combined with a MBA means she is passionate about delivering results and keen to foster a performance culture where all team members feel supported to reach their full-potential. She is a strong believer in gender equity and the importance of building a strong pipeline of talent to support future business growth.

Why Blackmores Group? I was motivated by the fact that Blackmores is a purpose-led business. Prior to joining I met many leaders of the company and was impressed by their shared passion for natural health and desire to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.

Must-have health and wellness fix: My Taiwanese background values a natural holistic approach to health. I think we need to guard against the pursuit of the quick fix. My approach to health is grounded in scientific understanding and making slow incremental improvements to improve health and wellness.  

Life outside of work: I practice yoga, which is good for my mind and body and gives me an enduring sense of wellbeing. I also love music, movies, and taking long walks with my family. I have two daughters and think it is important to spend time away from mobile phones, so we can talk and understand each other better.  

Joanne Smith

Chief Brand, Innovation and Communications Officer

Holding a stellar track record in global brand building and innovation, Joanne drives marketing excellence and consumer-led innovation for Blackmores Group. With over two decades of commercial and global marketing leadership expertise, Joanne’s key strengths include business and brand development, consumer-centric global growth strategies and transformational organisational change.

“Consumers globally are increasingly focussed on natural health, wellness and living stronger for longer and Blackmores has an impressive pioneering history of supporting consumers in their health and wellness goals,” explains Joanne, who has deep experience in Asian markets key to Blackmores Group.

Joanne’s former roles include Global Marketing Director at DuluxGroup, driving the Selley’s brand across Australia, NZ, Asia and the UK; Regional Director for Johnson & Johnson (Asia); and Global Marketing Director for Unilever (USA), leading the Dove brand globally. She has an MBA with an International Business major.

Why Blackmores Group? I’ve used many Blackmores products and love that Blackmores is a purpose-led organisation. I have admired the Blackmores brand for many years. Blackmores has a strong history of innovation and of supporting consumers with efficacious natural health solutions - I am so impressed with the quality of the Blackmores brand and believe it has enormous potential for growth.

Must have health and wellness fix: Exercising outdoors and swimming in the ocean. For me true health and wellness means being able to fully participate in life the way you want to, without limitations, for as long as possible – whatever your age.

Life outside of work: Full and fun! My two girls keep life very busy with their sports, school and social activities. We love having friends over, travelling and are always planning our next family adventure!

Go-to product and why? Armaforce is my favourite go-to product at the first sign of feeling unwell!