Ian Roberts has been appointed as Frucor Suntory Oceania’s new Chief Supply Chain Officer, relieving Jon Sackree after his 10 years of service.
Roberts bring his experience in end-to-end FMCG operations, garnered in roles as Executive General Manager of Retail at Visy and various Supply Chain Director roles over two decades at Lion. Roberts’ recent achievements include establishing Visy’s retail-facing division, as well as transforming Lion’s supply chain process during his time as Chief Supply Chain and Technical Director.
Darren Fullerton, CEO of Frucor Suntory Oceania expressed his enthusiasm about Roberts’ appointment.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ian to Suntory. His extensive experience in leading supply chain transformation and his unwavering commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement perfectly align with our values and the Yatte Minahare spirit that drives our global Suntory business,” Fullerton said.
The responsibilities of Roberts’ new role will involve leading the trans-Tasman supply chain, including the highly anticipated $400 million manufacturing and distribution facility currently under construction in Ipswich.
The appointment follows the announcement of Frucor Suntory’s upcoming partnership with Beam Suntory, together becoming the $3bn multi-beverage group Suntory Oceania. This will be the fourth largest beverage group in the region, with full end-to-end control over its portfolio, including manufacturing, sales, and distribution. The partnership is expected to be operational by mid-2025 in Australia.
Roberts spoke to his hopes for the new role.
“Frucor Suntory has experienced an incredible growth trajectory and with the future Suntory Oceania partnership ahead of us, I am excited to join the business during this critical period of transformation,” he said.
“Suntory’s core values of craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability align perfectly with my own commitment to delivering excellence and driving positive change in the supply chain. Together, we will work towards building a world-class supply chain that will deliver exceptional results for our multi-beverage portfolio in Oceania.”