Emery Leadership: Driving Innovation & Sustainability

Mr. Peter Hawthorne, currently a Member of Advisory Committee, PTTGC International (Netherlands) B.V., has more than 30 years of experience in various leadership roles at companies including Cargill Incorporated, Cargill Asia Pacific Ltd., Carlson Companies Inc., NatureWorks LLC, North Star BlueScope Steel, LLC, Ardent Mills, LLC, Citrofrut S.A., Spearhead International Ltd. and Grupo Proeza S.A..

In addition, Mr. Hawthorne holds other management positions including CEO & Managing Partner, P. Chandler Partners, LLC; Operating Director, Paine Schwartz Partners, LLC; Director, Grupo Proeza S.A.; Director and Chairman, Kynetec Ltd.; and Director, King Ranch Incorporated.

Mr. Hawthorne has a Master of Business Administration (Strategy & Marketing) degree from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, U.S.A. and a Bachelor of Economics degree from Brown University, U.S.A.

Ms. Korpaisarn is currently the Senior Vice President, Strategy, Business Development and Commercial Excellence at PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited (PTTGC). 

Her prior professional work experience includes Director, GC Polyols Company Limited; Director and Managing Director, GC Polyols Company Limited; Senior Vice President – Value Added Products Secondment as Managing Director, GC Polyols Company Limited, PTTGC. 

Ms. Korpaisarn holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from University of California at Berkeley, U.S.A., and a Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance and Banking) degree (First-Class Honors and Gold Medal – Ananda Mahidol Scholarship for highest GPA) from Thammasat University in Thailand. In addition, her further education and training includes the following: Private Equity Training, Euromoney Training, U.K. (2011); Leadership Development Program (LDP 1 and LDP 2), PTT Leadership and Learning Institute (PLLI), PTT Public Company Limited; and Subsidiary Governance, Business and Legal Issues for Directors and Executives and Transformative Leadership for Global Enterprise 2022, Director’s Legal Liabilities, Ethical Leadership for New Era and High Performing Board & Board Effectiveness 2021 (In-house Programs by (GC) and Director Certification Program (DCP) Class 255/2018, Thai Institute of Directors Association (IOD).

Renaka Ramachandran, a Malaysian, was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of SD Guthrie Berhad (formerly known as Sime Darby Plantation Berhad) on April 1, 2011. In this role, she oversees various departments within the Group, which includes finance, taxation, information technology, credit risk, corporate finance, investor relations and insurance. 

Between July 15, 2020 and December 31, 2023, Renaka served as the Deputy Managing Director of the Group's downstream business, SD Guthrie International (formerly known as Sime Darby Oils International Limited), leading the transformation program in the Asia Pacific region and overseeing all governance matters.

She began her career as an Audit Associate with Raj and Associates in 1991 where she led small audit engagements until 1992. She joined Coopers and Lybrand (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers) in 1992 as an Audit Associate and moved up the ranks to the position of Executive Director on January 1, 2004. As an Executive Director, she was involved in, among others, the audit of public listed companies, review of profit and cash flow forecasts and projections for restructurings and initial public offerings, due diligence and financial analysis. Her roles included overseeing working teams, giving presentations and providing training for both internal staff and external clients. She was also the representative of PricewaterhouseCoopers and committee member of the working group of Accounting Standard on Agriculture (IAS 41) of the Malaysian Accounting Standards Board (MASB).

She was qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992 and was admitted as a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in 1998. She was awarded Fellowship of the ACCA in 2002.

She has been actively involved in the MASB changes to IAS 41 by working on papers with the MASB for its onward discussion with the International Accounting Standards Board. She is a member of the ACCA Accountants for Business Global Forum. Renaka also appears as a presenter or panelist at various forums conducted by ACCA and the palm oil industry including the Price Outlook Conference and Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue, amongst others. She is also an alternate Director representing SD Plantation on the Council of the Malaysian Palm Oil Association as well as Co-Chair of the Human Rights Working Group of the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil. 

Miss Sophiskhuankhant is currently the Senior Vice President – International Finance and Strategy at PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited (PTTGC).

Her prior professional work experience includes Vice President, Corporate Finance and Accounting at Global Green Chemicals Public Company Limited; Director and Managing Director at Thai Fatty Alcohols Company Limited; Director at GGC Biochemical Company Limited; Director at Thai Eastern Top Seeds Oil Company Limited; and Division Manager, Strategic Partnership and Business Administration, International Business Administration Unit at PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited.

Miss Sophiskhuankhant holds a Master of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) degree from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi and a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) degree from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Ladkrabang. In addition, her further education and training includes the following: Executive Development Program (EDP) Class 23 from Thai Listed Company Association (TLCA); CFO Orientation, Strategic CFO and CFO Refresher Program from The Stock Exchange of Thailand; CFO Certification Program from Federation of Accounting Professions Under The Royal Patronage of His Majesty The King; and Director Certification Program (DCP) Class 270/2019 from Thai Institute of Directors Association (IOD). She is also a Member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Faculty of Engineering from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.

Dr. Shariman Nordin Mohamed Alwani, a Malaysian, was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of SD Guthrie International (formerly known as Sime Darby Oils) on February 1, 2024. Before assuming this role, he served as the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer of SD Guthrie Berhad (formerly known as Sime Darby Plantation Berhad) from January 22, 2018 to January 31, 2024; and was Head of Transformation for SD Guthrie International Europe and Africa from April 1, 2021 to January 31, 2024.

Dr. Shariman's journey with SD Guthrie Berhad started when he joined the company as Head, Strategy & Business Development in February 2014 and was responsible for overseeing the company’s corporate and innovation strategies as well as driving the company's Value Creation and Transformation program.

Prior to joining SD Guthrie Berhad, Dr. Shariman was Senior Vice President, Strategy & Value Management in Sime Darby Berhad. He had also served as an Economist at Bank Negara Malaysia from 1992 to 2008 and was Sector Economist in Fidelity Management and Research, Boston, from 1999 to 2001.

He holds a PhD in International Economics & Finance from Brandeis University’s International Business School, USA and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Cambridge University, United Kingdom. Dr. Shariman is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Miss Satida Krailas is currently the Vice President, Advance Materials and Biospecialty at PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited (PTTGC).

Miss Krailas’ prior professional work experience includes Vice President, Specialty Business at PTTGC, Vice President, Downstream Business Development 1 at PTTGC, Division Manager, Innovation & Technology at PTT Phenol, and Assistant Professor and Associate Dean of Engineering, Mahanakorn University of Technology.

Miss Krailas holds a Ph. D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of New South Wales, Australia, a Master of Chemical Engineering degree from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree from Khon-Kaen University, Thailand. In addition, her further education and training includes the following: Bis Phenol-A process training at Kurosaki plant (Japan), Leadership Development Program (LDP 1). She is also a member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Chemical Engineering Department, Khon-Kaen University, a member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Chemical Engineering Department, Mahanakorn University of Technology, a research proposal reader for National Research Council of Thailand, a member of Curriculum Criticism Committee for Faculty of Science, Thammasart University, a member of Committee of Study Curriculum for Chemical Engineering Department, Khon-Kaen University, and a member of Committee of Study Curriculum for Process Engineering, Mahanakorn University of Technology.

Renaka Ramachandran, a Malaysian, was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of SD Guthrie Berhad (formerly known as Sime Darby Plantation Berhad) on April 1, 2011. In this role, she oversees various departments within the Group, which includes finance, taxation, information technology, credit risk, corporate finance, investor relations and insurance. 

Between July 15, 2020 and December 31, 2023, Renaka served as the Deputy Managing Director of the Group's downstream business, SD Guthrie International (formerly known as Sime Darby Oils International Limited), leading the transformation program in the Asia Pacific region and overseeing all governance matters.

She began her career as an Audit Associate with Raj and Associates in 1991 where she led small audit engagements until 1992. She joined Coopers and Lybrand (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers) in 1992 as an Audit Associated and moved up the ranks to the position of Executive Director on January 1, 2004. As an Executive Director, she was involved in, among others, the audit of public listed companies, review of profit and cash flow forecasts and projections for restructurings and initial public offerings, due diligence and financial analysis. Her roles included overseeing working teams, giving presentations and providing training for both internal staff and external clients. She was also the representative of PricewaterhouseCoopers and committee member of the working group of Accounting Standard on Agriculture (IAS 41) of the Malaysian Accounting Standards Board (MASB).

She was qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992 and was admitted as a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in 1998. She was awarded Fellowship of the ACCA in 2002.

She has been actively involved in the MASB changes to IAS 41 by working on papers with the MASB for its onward discussion with the International Accounting Standards Board. She is also a member of the ACCA Accountants for Business Global Forum. Renaka also appears as a presenter or panelist at various forums conducted by ACCA and the palm oil industry including the Price Outlook Conference and Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue, amongst others. She is also an alternate Director representing SD Plantation on the Council of the Malaysian Palm Oil Association as well as Co-Chair of the Human Rights Working Group of the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil. 

Dr. Shariman Nordin Mohamed Alwani, a Malaysian, was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of SD Guthrie International (formerly known as Sime Darby Oils) on February 1, 2024. Before assuming this role, he served as the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer of SD Guthrie Berhad (formerly known as Sime Darby Plantation Berhad) from January 22, 2018 to January 31, 2024; and was appointed as Head of Transformation for SD Guthrie International Europe and Africa from April 1, 2021 to January 31, 2024.

Dr. Shariman's journey with SD Guthrie Berhad started when he joined the company as Head, Strategy & Business Development in February 2014 and was responsible for overseeing the company’s corporate and innovation strategies as well as driving the company’s Value Creation and Transformation program.

Prior to joining SD Guthrie Berhad, Dr. Shariman was Senior Vice President, Strategy & Value Management in Simd Darby Berhad. He had also served as an Economist at Bank Negara Malaysia from 1992 to 2008 and was Sector Economist in Fidelity Management and Research, Boston, from 1999 to 2001.

He holds a PhD in International Economics & Finance from Brandeis University’s International Business School, U.S.A. and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Cambridge University, United Kingdom. Dr. Shariman is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Miss Sophiskhuankhant is currently the Senior Vice President – International Finance and Strategy at PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited (PTTGC).

Her prior professional work experience includes Vice President, Corporate Finance and Accounting at Global Green Chemicals Public Company Limited; Director and Managing Director at Thai Fatty Alcohols Company Limited; Director at GGC Biochemical Company Limited; Director at Thai Eastern Top Seeds Oil Company Limited; and Division Manager, Strategic Partnership and Business Administration, International Business Administration Unit at PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited.

Miss Sophiskhuankhant holds a Master of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) degree from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi and a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) degree from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Ladkrabang. In addition, her further education and training includes the following: Executive Development Program (EDP) Class 23 from Thai Listed Company Association (TLCA); CFO Orientation, Strategic CFO and CFO Refresher Program from The Stock Exchange of Thailand; CFO Certification Program from Federation of Accounting Professions Under The Royal Patronage of His Majesty The King; and Director Certification Program (DCP) Class 270/2019 from Thai Institute of Directors Association (IOD). She is also a Member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Faculty of Engineering from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.

Mr. Amir Hamzah, a Malaysian, is currently the Country Head, Indonesia for SD Guthrie International Limited (formerly known as Sime Darby International Limited). 

Mr. Amir joined SD Guthrie Berhad in June 2019 as Vice President in Strategy & Innovation and was responsible for strategy and business development activities for SD Guthrie International. Prior to joining SD Guthrie Berhad, Mr. Amir was an equity research analyst for Credit Suisse Securities Malaysia, and later took on various roles in Strategy, Commercial, and Digitalisation in Axiata Group and Astro Holdings Malaysia. 

Mr. Amir graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Finance from London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom, and is an affiliate of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Miss Satida Krailas is currently the Vice President, Advance Materials and Biospecialty at PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited (PTTGC).

Miss Krailas’ prior professional work experience includes Vice President, Specialty Business at PTTGC, Vice President, Downstream Business Development 1 at PTTGC, Division Manager, Innovation & Technology at PTT Phenol, and Assistant Professor and Associate Dean of Engineering, Mahanakorn University of Technology.

Miss Krailas holds a Ph. D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of New South Wales, Australia, a Master of Chemical Engineering degree from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree from Khon-Kaen University, Thailand. In addition, her further education and training includes the following: Bis Phenol-A process training at Kurosaki plant (Japan), Leadership Development Program (LDP 1). She is also a member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Chemical Engineering Department, Khon-Kaen University, a member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Chemical Engineering Department, Mahanakorn University of Technology, a research proposal reader for National Research Council of Thailand, a member of Curriculum Criticism Committee for Faculty of Science, Thammasart University, a member of Committee of Study Curriculum for Chemical Engineering Department, Khon-Kaen University, and a member of Committee of Study Curriculum for Process Engineering, Mahanakorn University of Technology.

Renaka Ramachandran, a Malaysian, was appointed Chief Financial Officer of SD Guthrie Berhad (formerly known as Sime Darby Plantation Berhad) on April 1, 2011. In this role, she oversees various departments within the Group, which included finance, taxation, information technology, credit risk, corporate finance, investor relations, and insurance. 

Between July 15, 2020 and December 31, 2023, Renaka served as the Deputy Managing Director of the Group's downstream business, SD Guthrie International (formerly known as Sime Darby Oils International Limited, leading the transformation program in the Asia Pacific region and overssing all governance matters.

She began her career as an Audit Associate with Raj and Associates in 1991 where she led small audit engagements until 1992. She joined Coopers and Lybrand (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers) in 1992 as an Audit Associated and moved up the ranks to the position of Executive Director on January 1, 2004. As an Executive Director, she was involved in, among others, the audit of public listed companies, review of profit and cash flow forecasts and projections for restructurings and initial public offerings, due diligence and financial analysis. Her roles included overseeing working teams, giving presentations and providing training for both internal staff and external clients. She was also the representative of PricewaterhouseCoopers and committee member of the working group of Accounting Standard on Agriculture (IAS 41) of the Malaysian Accounting Standards Board (MASB).

She was qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992 and was admitted as a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in 1998. She was awarded Fellowship of the ACCA in 2002.

She has been actively involved in the MASB changes to IAS 41 by working on papers with the MASB for its onward discussion with the International Accounting Standards Board. She is also a member of the ACCA Accountants for Business Global Forum. Renaka also appears as a presentor or panelist at various forums conducted by ACCA and the palm oil industry including the Price Outlook Conference and Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue, amongst others. She is also an alternate Director representing SD Plantation on the Council of the Malaysian Palm  Oil Association as well as Co-Chair of the Human Rights Working Group of the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil.

Dr. Shariman Nordin Mohamed Alwani, a Malaysian, was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of SD Guthrie International (formerly known as Sime Darby Oils) on February 1, 2024. Before assuming this role, he served as the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer of SD Guthrie Berhad (formerly known as Sime Darby Plantation Berhad) from January 22, 2018 to January 31, 2024; and was Head of Transformation for SD Guthrie International Europe and Africa from April 1, 2021 to January 31, 2024.

Dr. Shariman's journey with SD Guthrie Berhad started when he joined the company as Head, Strategy & Business Development in February 2014 and was responsible for overseeing the company’s corporate and innovation strategies as well as driving the company’s Value Creation and Transformation program.

Prior to joining SD Guthrie Berhad, Dr. Shariman was Senior Vice President, Strategy & Value Management in Sime Darby Berhad. He had also served as an Economist at Bank Negara Malaysia from 1992 to 2008 and was Sector Economist in Fidelity Management and Research, Boston, from 1999 to 2001.

He holds a PhD in International Economics & Finance from Brandeis University’s International Business School, USA and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Cambridge University, United Kingdom. Dr. Shariman is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Miss Satida Krailas is currently the Vice President, Advance Materials and Biospecialty at PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited (PTTGC).

Miss Krailas’ prior professional work experience includes Vice President, Specialty Business at PTTGC, Vice President, Downstream Business Development 1 at PTTGC, Division Manager, Innovation & Technology at PTT Phenol, and Assistant Professor and Associate Dean of Engineering, Mahanakorn University of Technology.

Miss Krailas holds a Ph. D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of New South Wales, Australia, a Master of Chemical Engineering degree from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree from Khon-Kaen University, Thailand. In addition, her further education and training includes the following: Bis Phenol-A process training at Kurosaki plant (Japan), Leadership Development Program (LDP 1). She is also a member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Chemical Engineering Department, Khon-Kaen University, a member of the Industrial Advisory Board, Chemical Engineering Department, Mahanakorn University of Technology, a research proposal reader for National Research Council of Thailand, a member of Curriculum Criticism Committee for Faculty of Science, Thammasart University, a member of Committee of Study Curriculum for Chemical Engineering Department, Khon-Kaen University, and a member of Committee of Study Curriculum for Process Engineering, Mahanakorn University of Technology.

Jay Taylor, who has over 35 years of senior leadership and manufacturing experience in the Petrochemical and Oleochemicals industry, is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Emery Oleochemicals Group. He was appointed on April 1, 2020. In his current capacity as GCEO, Jay is responsible for driving global performance improvements in the Group to achieve sustainable growth and to optimize shareholders value.

Additionally, Jay holds the role of Chief Manufacturing Officer. In this leadership role, Jay is responsible for providing global operational coordination and guidance in all relevant functions including safety, budgeting, regulatory and environmental compliance and stewardship, personnel development and operational efficiencies.

Jay's previous career experience includes leadership roles at Huntsman where he was responsible for managing five of their polymer plants overseeing their operations, environmental compliance, engineering, quality, safety and reliability.

Jay has a Bachelor of Science degree from Lubbock Christian University, Texas.

Starting his tenure at Emery Oleochemicals in 1998, Billy began his career as a Marketing Executive responsible for the Coatings & Inks and Plastics Technology divisions, based out of the Malaysia office. Quickly gaining a strong foothold in these high-growth sectors, he took on an international portfolio with his promotion as the Asia Pacific Regional Business Manager, Plastics Technology and subsequently, as the Asia Pacific Regional Business Director overseeing the Fatty Alcohols and Oleo Derivatives business. In these two roles, Billy is credited for establishing high-performance teams which expanded market share, sales revenue and profitability.

Leaving the company to pursue other interests in 2007, he gained further expertise in the areas of general management , operations, and technical support covering Asia and North America. Re-joining Emery Oleochemicals in 2011, Billy took up dual roles as the Regional Sales Director and Regional Head of Oleobasics, Americas based out of Cincinnati – where he still resides today. Having grown the business triple-fold through strategic go-to-market initiatives and effective collaboration with the North America operations team, he was promoted to the role of Global Business Director in January 2016.

In his current role as Chief Business Officer, Billy is responsible for delivering strategic growth through the execution of projects across the company’s six distinct business groups. As a key member of the senior leadership at the company, he focuses on driving operational excellence in the company’s multicultural, multinational organization while delivering superior, sustainable products to help ensure customer success.

He holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Economics, both earned at the University of Western Australia.

Anthony Cheong is the Group Chief Financial Officer of Emery Oleochemicals Group. He was appointed in October 2017 and has more than 30 years of experience in finance, management, strategy, risk and business support largely gained in the manufacturing environment with multinational fast moving consumer goods, chemical and oleochemical companies.

Anthony joined Emery Oleochemicals in 2008 as their Asia Pacific Chief Financial Officer before relocating to Cincinnati, USA in 2010 in the position of CFO of North America. During his two years there, he was also the Global Finance Lead for the Group’s OleoBasics business to provide business analysis and strategy support.

He returned to Malaysia in 2012, assuming the position of Global Finance Director - Major Projects and Manufacturing Support and leading the Group’s large capital investment and cost control. He moved on as the Global Finance Director - Finance Operations in 2013 where his responsibilities included Group financial reporting, taxation, audit, risk management, transfer pricing, compliance and implementation of accounting standards and policies globally.

Prior to joining Emery Oleochemicals, Anthony began his career in 1991 as an audit assistant before moving to Colgate Palmolive Malaysia in the same year in various senior financial analyst roles. He continued his career as a finance manager with Danone Malaysia in 1999 and in 2003, he joined Cabot Malaysia, a leading global specialty chemicals company where he was awarded a Global Excellence Award for successfully implemented various finance projects across six Asia Pacific countries.

Anthony is a Chartered Accountant and is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants United Kingdom.