Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food appoints new Chief Sustainability and Communications Officer

SINGAPORE, Nov. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food, one of the world’s leading integrated palm-based agribusinesses, has appointed Anita Neville to join its executive leadership team in the new role of Chief Sustainability and Communications Officer (CSCO).  

As Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food’s Senior Vice President for Group Corporate Communications, she has overseen the company’s corporate communications across all communications channels and to all audiences. As CSCO, Ms Neville will be responsible for the company’s overall sustainability and communications strategy for the whole of business.

Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food Chairman and CEO Mr Franky O. Widjaja said, “Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food recognises the long-term value to the operational and commercial future of the business that comes from being a sustainable agribusiness player. We want our business to have a clear sense of purpose, to make positive contribution to the world while delivering value. Building on the progress made over recent years, and given the company’s global growth, we are renewing our sustainability focus and effort to encompass our entire value chain, with a whole of business strategy.” 

Current Managing Director of Sustainability and Strategic Stakeholder Engagement, Agus Purnomo, moves into a senior advisory role to the company, representing the company in key multi-stakeholder platforms and acting as a mentor for future talent within the business.

Reflecting on Mr Purnomo’s contribution to the company over the past seven years, Mr Widjaja said, “Pak Pungki (Agus Purnomo) built the solid foundations of Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food’s sustainability journey resulting in the company being considered as one of the leading responsible palm oil players globally. Under his leadership, we have made tremendous progress. I am delighted Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food will continue to benefit from his expertise and experience as a senior counsellor and mentor of the next generation of Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food talent.”

Mr Widjaja added, “Anita’s expertise and experience across public, private and civil society organisations, as well as her proven track record contributing to Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food’s sustainability journey, makes her the ideal candidate to develop and lead the next phase of our journey.”  

Anita Neville said, “I am honoured to be entrusted with this new role and to continue the work established by Pak Pungki. I think it speaks to Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food’s strength in sustainability that we are able to make this transition from within the existing Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food team. I am excited to work even more closely with our sustainability staff, and to look at how the company’s sustainability journey can expand to incorporate our whole business.” 

Ms Neville joined Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food six years ago, after two decades working in the environmental not-for-profit sector with various international NGOs and sustainability standards systems. She has worked in sustainability and communications with roles in non-governmental roles, including WWF-UK and Rainforest Alliance. She is based in Singapore, where she lives with her husband and two sons.  

All changes are effective 1 November 2021.

About Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food

Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food operates under Golden Agri-Resources Ltd. (GAR), is one of the leading palm oil plantation companies with a total planted area of 536,877 hectares (including plasma smallholders) as of 30 June 2021, located in Indonesia. It has integrated operations focused on the production and distribution of an extensive portfolio of palm-based products. Founded in 1996, GAR was listed on the Singapore Exchange in 1999 and has a market capitalisation of US$2.2 billion as of 30 June 2021. Flambo International Limited, an investment company, is currently GAR’s largest shareholder, with a 50.52 percent stake.

Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food has several subsidiaries, including PT SMART Tbk which was listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 1992. Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food is focused on responsible palm oil production. In Indonesia, its primary activities include cultivating and harvesting of oil palm trees; processing of fresh fruit bunch into crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel; refining CPO into value-added products such as cooking oil, margarine, shortening, biodiesel, and oleo-chemicals; as well as merchandising palm products globally. The products are delivered to a diversified customer base in over 70 countries through its global distribution network with shipping and logistics capabilities, destination marketing, on-shore refining and ex-tank operations in many countries. Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food also has complementary businesses such as soybean-based products in Mainland China, sunflower-based products in India, as well as sugar businesses.

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