Meet our experts

Agus Purnomo joined GAR in October 2014. As MD for Sustainability, he is responsible for planning GAR’s sustainability strategy, implementing, and communicating sustainable palm oil commitments throughout the entire value chain in collaboration with key stakeholders. Within the industry, Agus has been involved in many strategic roles, having been on the Executive Committee for both High Conservation Value Resource Network (HCVRN) and High Carbon Stock (HCS). He has also been voted as a member of the Board of Governors of Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

He brings more than 30 years of experience in sustainability through many roles with the Indonesian government, multilateral institutions, and international and national NGOs. He has served, among others, as the Special Assistant to the President of the Republic of Indonesia for Climate Change (2010-2014); Special Assistant to the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Indonesia (2004-2009); Environmental Adviser to The World Bank (2002-2004); Country Representative/Executive Director of WWF Indonesia (1996-2002).

Agus graduated with a Master Degree in Environmental Conservation Policy from Tufts University, US in 1994 and an MBA from Prasetya Mulya Management Institute, Indonesia in 1985.

“There is an African proverb that I stand by, which says ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’
Having worked on sustainability from different perspectives – the non-profit, the government, and now the private sector, I understand the importance of walking together with different stakeholders to achieve sustainably produced palm oil in Indonesia.”

Anita Neville leads communications, branding, and advocacy efforts for GAR globally.

She joined the company in 2016, after ten years with the Rainforest Alliance, an international non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of tropical forests. There, she led the design and implementation of the first global marketing strategy for the Rainforest Alliance’s certification and verification services and served as representative for the Australia and Oceania region.

A trained journalist, she is also a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) auditor, specialising in the social aspects of the respected forestry standard. Prior to the Rainforest Alliance, Anita was the Director of Communications for E3G, a European-focused environmental politics think tank specialising in climate diplomacy and energy policy. She began her career with WWF UK, rising to Head of Advocacy where she worked to secure the HSBC Investing in Nature partnership.

Anita has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Journalism and Politics from the University of Queensland. She represents GAR as co-Chair of the RSPO Market Development Standing Committee, and on the Steering Committee of the Global Agribusiness Alliance.

“I fundamentally believe in the importance of farming and farmers. As one of the largest farming-based businesses in Indonesia, GAR has a unique opportunity to help transform the palm oil industry, learning and leading by example, to encourage others in this vital sector to embrace responsible production practices.

There are a lot of misperceptions and assumptions, not only about palm oil, but about what is required to effect any lasting and sustainable change in any industry. My role involves explaining that sustainability is a journey, and that it is one all actors in supply chains need to take together if we are to effectively tackle climate change, eliminate poverty and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

Björn Stignor oversees the shipping and logistics of GAR’s products globally.

Björn started his career in 1993 as an officer on ships, sailing on chemical tankers until he became a captain in 2001. He then took up a commercial role in Brostrom followed by Stena. In 2011, he moved to Singapore as the head of Stena Weco, and started the joint venture freight and shipping company between GAR and Stena Weco in 2012.

He currently heads three major logistic companies as a combination of joint ventures and/or fully owned companies by groups: GAR, Stena Bulk (a major ship owner controlling about 130 tankers), and Bay Crest (a professional commercial manager with strong presence in both Japan and Singapore).

He has extensive experience with chemical tankers, and the shipping of bulk commodities, which is important in navigating the complexities associated with transporting palm oil around the world safely.

Bjorn is a certified Master mariner, and graduated from Sweden with a degree in chemical science.

“At GAR, my responsibility is to ensure we export our palm oil products in a safe and timely manner. The company has invested a lot in making our logistics more efficient, something I have been heavily involved in. My focus now is on the carbon footprint of shipping. Having spent a long time in this industry, I have seen the evolution of palm oil shipments – from small, old, low quality ships to the current modern fleet.

The difference between a 20-year-old vessel and a new one can mean a 25-35 percent improvement of fuel consumption. By lowering the age of vessels we use, and increasing the shipping size we benefit from economies of scale and we also lower the carbon footprint for each tonne of palm oil we move.”

Daniel Prakarsa leads GAR’s efforts in the area of supply chain sustainability. He has been instrumental in the implementation of required certification standards such as RSPO and ISCC within our operations, which results in growth of sales of certified sustainable products.

He is also responsible for ensuring suppliers comply with GAR’s sustainability requirements, and works with stakeholders, such as suppliers, customers and NGOs on supply chain sustainability grievances and issues that arise.

Together with his team of 20 supply chain professionals, Daniel proactively engages suppliers to ensure palm oil production practices are more traceable, transparent, and responsible. His team has achieved full traceability to mill as of 2015, and are on track to achieve full traceability to plantation by end 2020.

Prior to joining GAR in 2007, Daniel worked in various roles within different segments of the palm oil industry: plantations, refineries, trading and supply chain, with companies such as PT SMART Tbk, PRPOL, and CTP Holding (Cargill).

Daniel graduated from the University of Michigan, US, with a Bachelor Degree in Economics.

“I am passionate about engaging customers, suppliers and stakeholders in collaborating towards creating a sustainable industry that protects workers, communities and our environment.”

As the Head of GAR’s Group Treasury, Gopul Shah deploys best-in-class treasury, structured finance, risk management and funding solutions to enhance company competitiveness and profitability. He created the company’s proprietary trade structured finance business unit with market coverage of Asia, Europe and the Middle East. He manages relationships with lenders, financial institutions, rating agencies, customers, futures exchange and brokers, regulators, business units and board of directors.

Gopul has more than 20 years of experience in financing and financial services, with particular expertise in international treasury and finance, and business development in trade structured finance.

Prior to joining GAR in 2014, Gopul spent 10 years at Cargill’s proprietary trade structured funding, treasury, emerging markets trading, and risk management group. There, he managed Cargill’s trade and structured finance (TSF) business and India treasury and financial services business.

Gopul graduated with a Master Degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago – Booth School of Business, and has a Bachelor Degree in Commerce from the University of Bombay. He is also a Fellow Member of the Chartered Accountants of India, and an Associate of CPA Australia.

“Passion, integrity, humility, confidence, and courage are the cornerstones of every activity we undertake. I use my passion for business strategy, people, and hunger to apply learnings, to ensure that my work in finance helps build businesses, talent, and communities that thrive in a sustainable way.”

Götz Martin has been with GAR since 2015, leading the company’s sustainability initiatives on-the-ground. His team focuses on areas such as 1) Forest and Peat conservation, rehabilitation and management, 2) Community Engagement with focus on participative action and alternative livelihoods, 3) Responsible Sourcing with focus on supplier engagement and supply chain transformation.

He has 12 years of experience in forest/land use and sustainability related topics, and has spent 11 years in South East Asia. As a leading subject matter expert in his field, Götz sits on various committees: High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA) Executive Committee, High Conservation Value Resource Network (HCVRN) Management Committee, RSPO Peatland Working Group, and the RSPO Biodiversity and High Conservation Value (BHCV) Working Group.

In his previous role at McKinsey & Company, Götz was one of the key authors of the McKinsey Global Greenhouse Gas Abatement Cost Curve, as well as the Indonesian Greenhouse Gas Abatement Cost Curve – the first document published by an Indonesian Government agency (DNPI) which recognized the role of peatlands as a source of carbon emissions. He was also lead author of the East Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan Low Carbon Economic Growth Strategy.

Gotz has a PhD and Master Degree in Forestry Science, and a Bachelor Degree in Environmental Management, all from the Albert-Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany.

“Growing up in a small village in Germany, nature in general and forests in particular have always been my favourite place to be. Realising soon during studies on what a downhill trajectory Earth was on, I pursued a career in sustainability. Governments and leading private sectors can turn the wheel and transform the way we all live, while still allowing emerging countries to pursue a growth path to lift millions of their people from poverty.”

Ian Suwarganda manages the company’s international advocacy efforts to ensure access to markets for commerce and investment. He formalises a policy agenda, develops positions, and implements strategies to address relevant policy threats and opportunities, as well as legislation and regulations influencing the organisation. In his role, he engages with stakeholders from policymakers to non-profit representatives about responsibly produced palm oil.

He has over eight years of experience in sustainability topics. Prior to joining GAR in 2014, he was with IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative as a programme manager in the pulp and paper sector. He worked closely with producers, industry associations, NGOs and relevant government agencies, developing and co-investing with them in sustainable forest management projects in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Ian represents GAR at High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA), International Sustainability and Carbon Certification System (ISCC), and District Collaborative Forum to Achieve Sustainable Development in Indonesia.

Ian has a Master Degree in Business Administration from INSEAD.

“In my current role, I am advocating with the European Union for European buyers and member states to invest in the sustainable livelihoods of small-scale farmers and their local communities in Indonesia’s rural areas. To fight climate change, protect forests while alleviating poverty, stakeholders have yet to implement solutions for rural farmers and communities, at scale.”

Jean-Pierre Caliman heads SMARTRI, the upstream research and development arm of GAR focused on improving agronomic practices.

With 38 years of experience in oil palm cultivation, Jean-Pierre’s expertise extends from soil fertility to the mineral nutrition of oil palms. He is involved in studies related to the agro-physiology of oil palms, aimed at building a mechanistic model of how oil palms function – from light capture and photosynthesis to the allocation of the carbohydrates and the yield.

He started his career in West Africa, Ivory Coast in 1983 with CIRAD, a research organisation set up by the French government dedicated to tropical agriculture, as a research agronomist on oil palm. From 1991 onwards, Jean-Pierre was posted by CIRAD to several places in Indonesia, starting at the IOPRI (the National Research Centre in Indonesia). He was finally posted to PT SMART in 1996 as a scientific advisor and expert in oil palm fertiliser management, to build collaboration between CIRAD and the private sector.

His engagement to the development of ecological intensification of oil palm cultivation has been recognised in Science magazine, which is edited by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of two highest ranking scientific magazines in the world.

He has contributed to the creation of ICOPE, the International Conference on Oil Palm and the Environment, and has been the Chairman of ICOPE since 2010.

Jean-Pierre has a PhD in Soil Sciences from the University of Burgundy, France. His thesis was on soil physical fertility in oil palm plantations. He also has a DEA diploma in Agronomy (equivalent to Master Degree) from the Montpellier High School for Agronomy in France, with a specialisation in tree crops.

“I believe agriculture and environment are highly compatible and should be integrated, and among all the agricultural crops, oil palm has one of the highest ecological potentials. I am passionate about discovering new technologies and approaches that support the ecological intensification of oil palm cultivation, through enhancing ecosystem services within plantations. This work could help ensure a steady supply of vegetable oil to the people, while protecting the environment.”

Khoo Kok Yeow leads our IT and digital teams in GAR, managing around 230 employees. Since joining the company in 2017, Kok Yeow has re-organised the teams, allowing deep domain expertise to be nurtured internally. Kok Yeow is currently operating IT in two tracks – one focuses on traditional IT, and the second focuses on innovative digital agenda: cloud, remote sensing, internet of things, machine learning, artificial intelligence, etc.

He also heads the Corporate Functions Shared Services, driving cost efficiency, operational excellence and a continuous improvement mindset in his team. Building on the motto of ‘repeatable, predictable and measurable operations’, his focus here is on value-added services such as machine learning and artificial intelligence-based analytics.

Prior to GAR, Kok Yeow was with Accenture for 23 years. Over the last 20 years, he has been involved in a large number of transformation engagements, as well as other strategic consulting initiatives, predominantly with resources industry clients. Kok Yeow also has extensive Finance and Accounting, HR and IT shared services operations and governance experience, having architected, designed, transitioned and operated shared services (for these functions) at various large multi-nationals.

“In challenging times, I hold dear this quote from Margaret Mitchell’s novel Gone with the Wind – ‘Life is under no obligation to give us what we expect’. So no matter the trial, we must face it without fear, and work hard to adapt and change for the better.”

Lim Shu Ling has worked with GAR since 2015. She oversees the preparation and publication of the company’s annual Sustainability Report. She also handles GAR’s ESG disclosures and reporting on various international platforms including DJSI, FTSE4Good, CDP, Sustainalytics, SPOTT and others. She works closely with Investor Relations and Finance in briefing financial stakeholders on GAR’s ESG performance.

Shu Ling began her career as a journalist and has worked with various media organisations including the BBC’s Business News Division. She has also gained expertise in Indonesian and external stakeholder relations from her work on a UNDP project in Indonesia. Shu Ling has a Master Degree in Asian Politics from the School of Asian and African Studies (University of London).

“ESG reporting is not only about dry figures and data; increasingly and in the post COVID-19 world, ESG performance and reporting on that performance will be what distinguishes companies who will win out and stay in business in the long term from those who don’t.”

Paul Wassell spearheads the company’s work in food technology and innovation, leading a team of more than 40 in New Product Developments (NPD), applications, nutrition, compliance for specialty fats, margarines, shortenings, chocolate and non-dairy. He has over 39 years of experience in the field, and is a specialist in edible fats and oils application, particularly for baking and confectionary.

Prior to joining GAR in 2014, Paul worked with palm oil in Malaysia, DuPont (Danisco) in Denmark and ADM Pura Foods in UK. Paul has extensive knowledge in NPD, and has led the development of palm oil based solutions for multiple food applications. He is currently a member of the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS).

Paul received first-class honours with his Bachelor Degree in Product Management and Baking Technology at South Bank University, UK in 1997. He then completed his PhD in Biological Sciences at the University of Chester, UK in 2013. His thesis was titled: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Structuring in Reduced Triacylglycerol Based Systems.

“My journey in the food industry has often taken me into new specialisations and I have always enjoyed new challenges – especially when others say something cannot be done. The phrase ‘adapt and overcome’ is continuously expounded to my R&D colleagues. Yes, I am an idealist, and that is probably why I love to innovate – to put conceptual thinking into practice, but always, within commercial reality.

Understanding what people want and predicting future consumer desires, requires a lot of emotional intelligence. I passionately believe that people are important, and I enjoy people learning and developing new skills. During my time in Indonesia, it has been my proud privilege to support and lead a world class team, which is successively innovating a new, and more sustainable future.”

Rafael Buhay Concepcion, Jr. is an Executive Director and the Chief Financial Officer of GAR. He has been a Director of GAR since August 2002.

He has over 30 years of experience in corporate and strategic finance. Rafael joined the company in 1997 and rose through the ranks to become Chief Financial Officer in January 2013. He is also currently the Commissioner of our subsidiary PT SMART Tbk, which is listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange.

Prior to joining GAR, Rafael spent five years with the Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation.

Rafael studied at the University of the Philippines where he obtained a Bachelor Degree in Economics in 1988. He later obtained a Master Degree in Business Administration from the Asian Institute of Management, Philippines in 1992 with scholarship from SGV Philippines.

“Being a CFO isn’t just about financial stewardship – for me it’s also being fortunate enough to be part of the exciting growth story behind GAR, helping it to develop into a major integrated agri-business, and knowing that we’re supporting hundreds of thousands of workers and their families.”

Richard Fung leads GAR’s Investor Relations department, and is responsible for driving engagement with our analysts, investors, and shareholders. He works closely with senior management to provide timely and accurate information to investors, and reflecting stakeholder feedback to the board of directors – elements critical in achieving value for the company.

He has been with the company since 2008, and has more than 20 years of experience in Finance, particularly in the area of corporate finance.

Before joining GAR, Richard held leadership positions at Sampoerna Telecom, AcrossAsia Multimedia, and UBS Warburg. He has been involved in various capital market transactions including M&A, IPO, equity and bond issuance, and bank financing.

Richard has a Master Degree and PhD in Business Administration from Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

“My focus is on providing investors with the best possible insight into the strategy, operations and performance of GAR. My passion is to make investors aware of the many benefits palm oil has to offer, not in the least that it can be produced in a sustainable manner.”

Tony Liwang leads our Plant Production and Biotechnology division, which looks into the biotechnology of oil palm, and carries out research activities to improve planting material and seed stock.

He has been with GAR for over 21 years, holding various research and development roles within the company. He was previously the Head of our SMART Research Institute.

Tony has more than 30 years of experience in agriculture-based technologies. He was part of the founding committee of ICOPE, the International Conference on Oil Palm and the Environment, serving as its first chairman in 2009.

Tony received his PhD from the Bogor Agricultural Institute, Indonesia. He also has Master and Bachelor Degrees in Agricultural Technology from Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands.

“Many people have a perception that farming and agriculture, being more to do with nature, has no relation to technology. However, that is not that case. As a company we are highly driven by research and technology. In fact, biotechnology for oil palm has seen rapid development, especially in the last five years in which we have identified its whole genetic map.”

Wong Hong Zhou focuses on transformation topics for the company, particularly in Business Intelligence and Governance Ecosystem Transformation. He led the design of GAR’s Central Business Services model and facilities, which streamlines the company’s functional processes such as finance and governance. With over 60 employees in his team, he is responsible for innovating GAR’s practices in control and compliance, data governance, operation and financial planning, statutory and management performance reporting.

He has over 20 years of experience in Finance and Controllership, Merger, Acquisition and Divestment turnaround, high stakes project delivery and SAP implementation.

Prior to joining GAR in 2016, he worked for Shell in Oman, UAE, Greater China and Malaysia, as Finance Director and Country Controller.

Hong Zhou has an Master Degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago – Booth School of Business, and a Bachelor Degree in Commerce (Finance and Marketing) from the University of Adelaide, Australia.

“The most critical ingredient of transformation is positivity. It attracts creativity, fun and passion, and excites people to come up with wonderful new initiatives. Great things can happen when one starts believing.”