Lion has a balanced board structure, including Independent Directors with local experience.
Our Senior Leadership Team
Our senior leadership team comprises leaders from all areas of our business, who between them have almost 200 years of FMCG experience.
Meet our leaders:
Rob Murray
Chief Executive Officer, Lion
Rob Murray was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Lion in October 2009, following Kirin Holdings Company Limited’s successful acquisition of the remaining shares in Lion Nathan. Rob held the role of Chief Executive Officer Lion Nathan since 1 October 2004, having been appointed to the Board in September 2002. Rob was formerly Chief Executive Officer of Nestle Oceania where he was responsible for a business with revenues in excess of $2 billion, 5,500 employees and 14 factories. He has extensive knowledge of fast moving consumer goods, sales and marketing having also worked for Procter and Gamble and Spillers Petfoods.
Bob Barbour
People and Culture Director, Lion
Bob Barbour, who hails from Scotland, joined Lion in October 1992 as HR Director for the Australian Lion Nathan business. He was promoted five years later to People and Culture Director (then Group HR Director) for the Lion Nathan Group. Prior to joining Lion, Bob worked for Courage Ltd and Grand Metropolitan (now part of Diageo) in the brewing industry in the UK. On graduating from Aston University, he joined the Ford Motor Company for five years before moving on to Bristol Myers for four years.
James Brindley
Managing Director, Lion Beer, Spirits & Wine Australia
James Brindley was appointed Managing Director Lion Beer, Spirits & Wine Australia in October 2009, having held the role of Commercial Director since 2004. James joined the business as a Business Analyst in 1994, and moved through a number of finance, strategy and procurement roles before being appointed Finance Director Lion Nathan China in 1998. In 2003 James was appointed to Managing Director Lion Nathan China, and positioned the business well for a successful sale in 2004.
Rory Glass
Managing Director, Lion Beer, Spirits & Wine New Zealand
Rory Glass joined Lion in 2001 as National Accounts Director, where he was responsible for the off-trade market. He has subsequently held a variety of senior sales and marketing roles, including the role of National Sales and Marketing Director prior to his current position. Rory was appointed Managing Director, Lion Beer, Spirits & Wine New Zealand in June 2011. Prior to his time with Lion, Rory was a Senior Category Manager at Progressive Enterprises.
Peter Kean
Managing Director, Lion Dairy & Drinks
Peter Kean’s career with Lion began in 1986 when he joined the Speight’s Brewery in Dunedin as a Sales Executive. In his first ten years with the Company he held a number of sales-related roles including National Director of Sales – a role that saw Peter and his family move to Auckland. In 2003 Peter was appointed Managing Director of Lion Nathan Wines and Spirits and in March 2005 leadership of Lion Breweries was added to his portfolio of responsibilities. In 2003 Peter attended Harvard University in Boston, USA to complete the Program for Management Development.
Duncan Makeig
Group General Counsel and Sustainability Director, Lion
Duncan Makeig was appointed Group General Counsel and Sustainability Director of Lion in September 2009, having held the role at Lion Nathan since June 2001. In this role he is responsible for Lion’s governance obligations and the corporate legal activity of the Company’s operations in dairy, juice, soy, beer and wine across Australia and New Zealand, and internationally. Duncan was previously Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Tricon Restaurants International, based in Dallas, Texas, and General Counsel for PepsiCo Australasia/Africa.
Rob McKenzie
Group Technical and Operations Director, Lion
Rob McKenzie was appointed Group Technical and Operations Director Lion in October 2009, having held the role at Lion Nathan since April 2004. In this role Rob leads teams across technical, supply, logistics and environmental areas and also has strategic overview of total group operations. Rob first joined Lion in November 1993 and has held a number of senior operational and supply chain roles within the beer, spirits & wine businesses. He has extensive industry experience with over 26 years in the brewing and malting industry, both in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Jamie Tomlinson
Chief Financial Officer, Lion
Jamie Tomlinson became Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Lion in 2009, having previously held the CFO role at Lion Nathan since May 2003. As CFO, Jamie leads the Company’s functions in finance and accounting, strategy, tax, treasury, shared services, audit and risk management, information technology and corporate development. Jamie has 25 years experience in the brewing and soft drink industries and prior to taking over as CFO, Jamie was Finance Director of Lion Nathan’s Australian beer business. Jamie has a degree in Finance and Accounting and has completed a Management Development program at Harvard Business School.
Our Board
Lion has a balanced board structure, including Non-Executive Independent Directors.
Meet our Board:
Rob Murray
BA Hon Economics, MA Hons (Cantab) Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director
Rob Murray was appointed Chief Executive Officer to the Lion Board in October 2009, having previously held the position of Chief Executive Officer to the Lion Nathan Board in October 2004. He was appointed to the Board of Lion Nathan in September 2002. Rob Murray was formerly Chief Executive Officer of Nestle Oceania where he was responsible for a business with revenues in excess of $2 billion, 5,500 employees and 14 factories. He has extensive knowledge of fast moving consumer goods, sales and marketing having worked previously for Procter & Gamble and Spillers Petfoods.
Directorships Wenona School (Director)
Residence Sydney, Australia
Geoff Ricketts
LLB (Hons), FInstD Chairman, Independent Non–Executive Director
Geoff Ricketts was appointed Chairman of the Lion Board in October 2009, having previously acted as Chairman of the Lion Nathan Limited Board for eight years (August 2001-October 2009). Mr. Ricketts was appointed to the Board of Lion Nathan Limited in June 1988, and brings with him considerable group institutional knowledge and experience in commercial law, mergers and acquisitions and board governance.
Directorships Spotless Group Limited (1996 –), Taylors Group Limited (1992 –), Suncorp Metway Limited (2007 –), Southern Cross Building Society (2007 –), Promina Group Limited (2003 – 2007)
Other Russell McVeagh (Consultant), The University of Auckland Foundation (Chairman of Trustees), Board of New Zealand Catholic Education Limited (Chairman), Catholic Diocese of Auckland Administration Board (Member)
Residence Auckland, New Zealand
Yoshiharu Furumoto
B.S. Commerce and Management (HIT) Non-Executive Director
Mr. Furumoto joined the Lion Board in October 2009. Mr. Furumoto has been with the Kirin Group since April 1973 and has gained significant experience in accounting, finance and strategic planning roles within the Kirin Group, including Managing Executive Officer, General Manager of Group Strategy Department Kirin Holdings Company Limited and General Manager of Spirits & Wine Department Kirin Brewery Company Limited. His current role is Managing Director and CFO (Representative Director) Kirin Holdings Company Limited.
Directorships Nil
Residence Tokyo, Japan
Ryoichi Yonemura
B.S. Commerce and Management (HIT) Non-Executive Director
Ryoichi Yonemura joined the Lion Board in December 2010. Mr. Yonemura has been with the Kirin Group since April 1982 and is currently General Manager, Strategy Planning Department Kirin Holdings Company Limited. Mr. Yonemura has held various financial, accounting and strategic planning roles with the Kirin Group, including General Manager of Accounting and Finance Department and Director and Controller of Raymond Vineyard & Cellar in California. Mr. Yonemura has participated in the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School.
Directorships Nil
Residence Tokyo, Japan
Ryosuke Mizouchi
B.S Economics (HIT), MSM (MIT Sloan) Executive Director
Mr. Mizouchi joined the Lion Board in October 2009 and became an Executive Director in March 2010. Mr. Mizouchi is also a member of the Audit, Finance and Strategy Committee and Leadership, Remuneration and Nomination Committee. Mr. Mizouchi joined the Kirin Group in April 1982 and has held various marketing and strategic planning roles with in the Kirin Group, including General Manager of Market Research Department and Marketing Manager of Budweiser Japan. His most recent role is Deputy General Manager Corporate Planning Department Kirin Holdings Company Limited.
Directorships Nil
Residence Sydney, Australia
Gavin Walker
B.C.A Independent Non–Executive Director
Gavin Walker has had a long career in investment banking, having previously held the roles of Chief Executive of Bankers Trust Australia Investment Bank and member of the Business Council of Bankers Trust Company in New York.
Directorships Goodman Fielder Limited (2007 –), BT Investments Management (2007 –), Southern Cross Building Society (2007 –), Veda Advantage Limited (2000 – 2007), Zintel Group Limited (2002 – 2007)
Sir Rod Eddington was appointed to the board of Lion in March 2011. One of Australia’s most experienced and accomplished business leaders, Sir Rod had a long career in the aviation industry and is a former CEO of Cathay Pacific Airways, Executive Chairman of Ansett and CEO of British Airways. In 2005, Sir Rod was awarded a Knighthood by the British Government for services to civil aviation. Along with a number of non-executive directorships, Sir Rod also serves as President of Australia Japan Business Cooperation Committee.
Directorships John Swire & Sons Pty Ltd (1997 – ) News Corporation Limited (1999 – ) Rio Tinto plc (2005 - May 2011) Non Executive Chairman (Aust & NZ), JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. (2006 – ) CLP (China Light & Power) Holdings Ltd (2006 – ) Chairman, Victorian Major Events Company (2006 – ) Chairman, Infrastructure Australia (2008 – )
Growing sociability and wellbeing in our world
Our Leadership
Lion has a balanced board structure, including Independent Directors with local experience.
Our Senior Leadership Team
Our senior leadership team comprises leaders from all areas of our business, who between them have almost 200 years of FMCG experience.
Meet our leaders:
Rob Murray
Chief Executive Officer, Lion
Bob Barbour
People and Culture Director, Lion
James Brindley
Managing Director, Lion Beer, Spirits & Wine Australia
Rory Glass
Managing Director, Lion Beer, Spirits & Wine New Zealand
Peter Kean
Managing Director, Lion Dairy & Drinks
Duncan Makeig
Group General Counsel and Sustainability Director, Lion
Rob McKenzie
Group Technical and Operations Director, Lion
Jamie Tomlinson
Chief Financial Officer, Lion
Our Board
Lion has a balanced board structure, including Non-Executive Independent Directors.
Meet our Board:
Rob Murray
BA Hon Economics, MA Hons (Cantab)
Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director
Directorships
Wenona School (Director)
Residence
Sydney, Australia
Geoff Ricketts
LLB (Hons), FInstD
Chairman, Independent Non–Executive Director
Geoff Ricketts was appointed Chairman of the Lion Board in October 2009, having previously acted as Chairman of the Lion Nathan Limited Board for eight years (August 2001-October 2009). Mr. Ricketts was appointed to the Board of Lion Nathan Limited in June 1988, and brings with him considerable group institutional knowledge and experience in commercial law, mergers and acquisitions and board governance.
Directorships
Spotless Group Limited (1996 –), Taylors Group Limited (1992 –), Suncorp Metway Limited (2007 –), Southern Cross Building Society (2007 –), Promina Group Limited (2003 – 2007)
Other
Russell McVeagh (Consultant), The University of Auckland Foundation (Chairman of Trustees), Board of New Zealand Catholic Education Limited (Chairman), Catholic Diocese of Auckland Administration Board (Member)
Residence
Auckland, New Zealand
Yoshiharu Furumoto
B.S. Commerce and Management (HIT)
Non-Executive Director
Mr. Furumoto joined the Lion Board in October 2009. Mr. Furumoto has been with the Kirin Group since April 1973 and has gained significant experience in accounting, finance and strategic planning roles within the Kirin Group, including Managing Executive Officer, General Manager of Group Strategy Department Kirin Holdings Company Limited and General Manager of Spirits & Wine Department Kirin Brewery Company Limited. His current role is Managing Director and CFO (Representative Director) Kirin Holdings Company Limited.
Directorships
Nil
Residence
Tokyo, Japan
Ryoichi Yonemura
B.S. Commerce and Management (HIT)
Non-Executive Director
Ryoichi Yonemura joined the Lion Board in December 2010. Mr. Yonemura has been with the Kirin Group since April 1982 and is currently General Manager, Strategy Planning Department Kirin Holdings Company Limited. Mr. Yonemura has held various financial, accounting and strategic planning roles with the Kirin Group, including General Manager of Accounting and Finance Department and Director and Controller of Raymond Vineyard & Cellar in California. Mr. Yonemura has participated in the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School.
Directorships
Nil
Residence
Tokyo, Japan
Ryosuke Mizouchi
B.S Economics (HIT), MSM (MIT Sloan)
Executive Director
Mr. Mizouchi joined the Lion Board in October 2009 and became an Executive Director in March 2010. Mr. Mizouchi is also a member of the Audit, Finance and Strategy Committee and Leadership, Remuneration and Nomination Committee. Mr. Mizouchi joined the Kirin Group in April 1982 and has held various marketing and strategic planning roles with in the Kirin Group, including General Manager of Market Research Department and Marketing Manager of Budweiser Japan. His most recent role is Deputy General Manager Corporate Planning Department Kirin Holdings Company Limited.
Directorships
Nil
Residence
Sydney, Australia
Gavin Walker
B.C.A
Independent Non–Executive Director
Directorships
Goodman Fielder Limited (2007 –), BT Investments Management (2007 –), Southern Cross Building Society (2007 –), Veda Advantage Limited (2000 – 2007), Zintel Group Limited (2002 – 2007)
Residence
Auckland, New Zealand
Sir Rod Eddington
B.Eng.(Hons)(UWA), M.Eng.Sci.(UWA), Hon.LLD(UWA), D.Phil.(Oxon)
Directorships
John Swire & Sons Pty Ltd (1997 – )
News Corporation Limited (1999 – )
Rio Tinto plc (2005 - May 2011)
Non Executive Chairman (Aust & NZ), JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. (2006 – )
CLP (China Light & Power) Holdings Ltd (2006 – )
Chairman, Victorian Major Events Company (2006 – )
Chairman, Infrastructure Australia (2008 – )
Residence
Melbourne, Australia
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