Board of Directors

Niall Fitzgerald, Chair of the Board at ofi
Niall FitzGerald KBE DSA
Chair and Chair of the Nomination Committee

Date of Appointment: 9 September 2021

 

Niall was Chair and CEO of Unilever for 8 years and an executive board director for 18 years. During his 37 years with the company, Niall served as Finance Director, Foods Director and Detergents Director and during his Unilever career he lived and worked in the UK, the Netherlands, Ireland, the US and South Africa. Niall is Chair of The Leverhulme Trust, Chair Hakluyt International Advisory Council and Patron British Irish Chamber of Commerce. 

 

Niall has chaired a broad range of companies and public bodies including Reuters, Brand Learning, British Museum, Nelson Mandela Legacy Trust, International Business Council and the Advertising Association, and has also served on several Boards, including Bank of Ireland, the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, International Policy Council for Agriculture and Trade and was President of South Africa’s International Advisory Council.  

Shekhar Anantharaman, Executive Director and CEO at ofi
A. Shekhar
Executive Director & CEO

Shekhar was appointed CEO of ofi in January 2020 upon its creation following the reorganization of the Olam Group. Shekhar joined Olam in 1992 and has been an Executive Director and a member of the Group Board since 1998. Shekhar held a variety of roles in the Olam Group, he was previously Group Chief Operating Officer, Executive Director – Finance and Business Development, and prior to this he incubated and managed various global businesses including the Nuts, Spices and Packaged Foods businesses, where he led many of the Company’s organic and inorganic growth initiatives. 

Rishi Kalra, Executive Director and CFO at ofi
Rishi Kalra
Executive Director & CFO

Rishi was appointed CFO of ofi in January 2020 upon its creation following the reorganization of the Olam Group. Rishi began his career with Olam in 2000 and during this period has served as CFO India, CFO West Africa, and President and Global Head of Corporate Finance. He is a founding member of the first Circle of Practice in Asia of The Prince of Wales Charitable Project, Accounting for Sustainability (A4S). A4S inspires action by finance leaders to drive a fundamental shift towards resilient business models and a sustainable economy.

Patrick Coveney, Non-Executive Director at ofi
Patrick Coveney
Non-Executive Director

Patrick Coveney became CEO of SSP Group plc in March 2022. Prior to this he was CEO of Greencore Group Plc, a position he held since 2005 and during which time he led Greencore’s transformation into an international leader in value-added convenience food. Prior to joining Greencore, Patrick worked for nine years at McKinsey & Company in Europe and North America. Patrick is a Non-Executive Director of Glanbia plc and Chair of Core Media.

Nancy Cruickshank, Non-Executive Director at ofi
Nancy Cruickshank
Non-Executive Director

Nancy started her career in marketing and advertising roles with Conde Nast, before progressing to a range of general management and transformation roles with BSkyB, VideoJug, Telegraph Media Group, Weve, and until 2021 Nancy was the Chief Digital Officer for Carlsberg.Nancy currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of In The Style Group plc, Oodle Finance Ltd, Allegro EU SA and Flutter Entertainment plc.  She was previously a Non-Executive Director at Bango plc, Carlsberg Group A/S, On-Mobile Global Ltd and Telecity Group plc.

Nagi Hamiyeh, Non-Executive Director at ofi
Nagi Hamiyeh
Non-Executive Director

Nagi is a Non-Executive Director of Olam Group Limited.  He brings more than 28 years of experience in strategy, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, growth equity, private equity and public investing in multiple industries across the globe. Nagi is the Joint Head of Temasek’s Investment Group and is concurrently the Head of Portfolio Development.  Prior to joining Temasek in 2005, Nagi was a banker with Credit Suisse First Boston’s Energy Group and began his career at Bain and Company.

Penny Hughes, Non-Executive Director, Chair of Remuneration & Talent Committee
Penny Hughes
Non-Executive Director, Chair of Remuneration & Talent Committee

Penny’s executive career in the consumer goods industry led to an extensive portfolio board career which spans retail, media, leisure, technology and financial services in both public and private company boards. Penny is currently Chair of the boards of The Gym Group plc and Riverstone Living Ltd and has served as Chair of Aston Martin Lagonda and Chair of the Remuneration and Sustainability board committees for several large cap companies including Royal Bank of Scotland, WM Morrison, The Gap Inc and Vodafone.

Brian May Non-Executive Director, Chair of Audit & Risk Committee
Brian May
Non-Executive Director, Chair of Audit & Risk Committee

Brian’s executive career with Bunzl plc spanned 26 years, including 14 years as Chief Financial Officer, during which period the business underwent significant strategic and operational transformation. Brian is a Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee member for Ferguson plc, a Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and Audit Committee member for ConvaTec Group plc, and he previously served on the board of United Utilities Group PLC.

Belinda Richards, Senior Independant Director, Chair of Governance and Nominations Committee
Belinda Richards
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director, Chair of Sustainability Committee

Belinda was a senior partner at Deloitte LLP before embarking on her board career which has a particular focus on the consumer products and financial services sectors. Belinda is currently a Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair for both Avast plc and Schroder Japan Growth Fund plc, as well as a Non-Executive Director for Phoenix Group Holdings plc and Monks Investment Trust plc. Belinda has previously served on the boards of WM Morrison, Grainger and Balfour Beatty.

Amanda Sourry, Non-Executive Director at ofi
Amanda Sourry
Non-Executive Director

Amanda Sourry spent over 30 years of her executive career working for Unilever plc where she gained extensive global marketing and business experience in consumer packaged goods. Amanda was most recently President of Unilever North America, and previously President Unilever Global Foods. She was a Member of the Unilever Leadership Executive from 2015 to 2020. Amanda is currently a Non-Executive Director of The Kroger Co., Trivium Packaging and PVH Corp where she also Chairs the Compensation Committee.

Sunny George Verghese, Non-Executive Director at ofi
Sunny Verghese
Non-Executive Director

Sunny is Group CEO of Olam Group Limited and as part of the re-organisation within Olam, he also became CEO of Olam Agri.  Sunny founded Olam in 1989 after having been with the Kewalram Chanrai Group (KC Group), prior to which he worked for Unilever in India.  From 2018 to 2021 Sunny was Chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the global, CEO-led organisation dedicated to accelerating the transition to a sustainable world.  He previously chaired CitySpring Infrastructure Management Pte Ltd, a listed Business Trust in Singapore and was also a Commissioner of the Business and Sustainable Development Commission (BSDC).

Close up photograph of Carole Wainaina the Non-Executive Director
Carole Wainaina
Non-Executive Director

Carole is currently Senior Advisor to the CEO at Africa50, an investment fund set up by African governments and the African Development Bank to help bridge Africa’s infrastructure funding gap. Carole was previously the Chief Operating Officer since 2017. Her previous executive appointments include EVP & Chief HR Officer at Royal Philips Ltd, and at the Coca-Cola Company where Carole held the roles of Chief of Staff for the Chairman & CEO, as well as HR Director for EuroAsia & Africa. In addition, Carole was Assistant Secretary General for Human Resources at the United Nations. Carole is a Non-Executive Director of Helios Towers Plc.

Niall Fitzgerald, Chair of the Board at ofi
Niall FitzGerald KBE DSA
Chair and Chair of the Nomination Committee
Shekhar Anantharaman, Executive Director and CEO at ofi
A. Shekhar
Executive Director & CEO
Rishi Kalra, Executive Director and CFO at ofi
Rishi Kalra
Executive Director & CFO
Patrick Coveney, Non-Executive Director at ofi
Patrick Coveney
Non-Executive Director
Nancy Cruickshank, Non-Executive Director at ofi
Nancy Cruickshank
Non-Executive Director
Nagi Hamiyeh, Non-Executive Director at ofi
Nagi Hamiyeh
Non-Executive Director
Penny Hughes, Non-Executive Director, Chair of Remuneration & Talent Committee
Penny Hughes
Non-Executive Director, Chair of Remuneration & Talent Committee
Brian May Non-Executive Director, Chair of Audit & Risk Committee
Brian May
Non-Executive Director, Chair of Audit & Risk Committee
Belinda Richards, Senior Independant Director, Chair of Governance and Nominations Committee
Belinda Richards
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director, Chair of Sustainability Committee
Amanda Sourry, Non-Executive Director at ofi
Amanda Sourry
Non-Executive Director
Sunny George Verghese, Non-Executive Director at ofi
Sunny Verghese
Non-Executive Director
Close up photograph of Carole Wainaina the Non-Executive Director
Carole Wainaina
Non-Executive Director

Read ofi news

Articles Feb 17, 2025
CashewNuss: Advancing Sustainable Cashew Farming in Côte d’Ivoire

Guest Author: Maude Manoukian, Chief Community Officer, Forager Project

 

At Forager Project, our journey has always been about more than just food. We believe that small, thoughtful choices—what we eat, how we source ingredients, and who we partner with—can lead to a more sustainable future.

 

For years, cashews have been at the heart of what we do. They’re the foundation of our creamy Cashewmilk Yogurt, an essential source of protein in our plant-based shakes, and the star ingredient in most of the products we make. But behind every cashew is a farmer, a family, and a community working hard to make a living—often with limited resources and opportunities.

 

That’s why we asked ourselves: What more can we do?

 

The answer: CashewNuss, an initiative we’re launching with ofi and German development agency GIZ as part of our

One Small Step program. Through this partnership, we’re working hand-in-hand with 10,000 cashew farmers in Côte d’Ivoire to support sustainable farming, organic certification, business training, and community development.

 

Why this matters

 

For many cashew farmers in Côte d’Ivoire, their orchards are their only source of income. With just one harvest per year, it can be challenging to provide for their families, invest in their farms, or access the training and resources needed to grow their businesses.

 

Women farmers, in particular, face additional challenges—they often have less access to education, training, and markets, making it harder for them to build financial independence.

 

We believe sustainability isn’t just about the planet—it’s also about people. CashewNuss is about taking small but meaningful steps to support farmers, their families, and their communities in ways that create lasting change.

Press Release Feb 13, 2025
GIZ, ofi and Rikolto expand low carbon agriculture in Ecuador to boost cocoa farmer incomes and cut emissions

ofi, a global leader in food and beverage ingredients and solutions, international NGO Rikolto, and the German Development Agency GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), have today announced a low-carbon agriculture project in Ecuador, which aims to support farmers to mitigate against and adapt to the impacts of climate change on cocoa production.

 

The consortium is co-funded by BMZ and ofi, with Rikolto leading the implementation for ofi’s sustainability programs, including those it delivers for its customers over a three-year period. It seeks to address the impact of unpredictable weather conditions on growing cocoa by training 2,800 farmers in climate-smart agriculture.

 

Climate change poses a significant threat to 1.7 million Ecuadorians dependent on cocoa, with approximately 60% of cocoa farmers relying on cocoa as their main source of income.1

 

The low-carbon agriculture project aims to help support farmers in creating more resilient livelihoods and increasing the efficiency of their cocoa production. By implementing agroforestry, a regenerative farming approach, cocoa can grow alongside other plant species. The technique can help farmers to improve cocoa yields and provide additional income from other planted crops, while sequestering carbon and promoting biodiversity.

 

The training will be delivered through 600 tailored coaching sessions or 'field schools'. Farmers, at least 20% of whom will be women, will be taught to integrate sustainability principles and agricultural standards into existing farming approaches, helping them to boost cocoa productivity and build climate resilience. The project will also produce 40,000 plants of the rare and native Nacional cocoa variety for distribution, housed within an organic cocoa production community nursery.

 

Insights from the project will be generated by leveraging ofi’s award-winning AtSource sustainability management system with best practices and learnings shared with national authorities, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to help inform national climate policy. The project is aligned with Ecuador's REDD+ Action Plan "Forests for Good Living" 2016-2025.

 

1 Ecuadorian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. 2019. Report on cocoa yields

Articles Feb 7, 2025
The Green Note: Orchestrating climate action in global food supply chains

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement, at a time when the cost of climate inaction is sounding loud and clear. If wildfires in one of the richest places in the world can cause destruction of such magnitude, what does that mean for remote farming areas and the farmers, businesses and consumers they serve? It’s more vital than ever that we keep pushing for progress to happen at all levels: as a global community, in government decision-making, and the business world.

 

With this renewed focus on driving transformational impact, I'm reminded of my other passion beyond sustainability: music. As a saxophonist playing in multiple bands across jazz, funk, soul and pop genres, I’ve learned that creating transformative music requires more than individual virtuosity – it demands precise coordination, timing, and harmony across the entire ensemble.

 

The same holds true for climate action in global food supply chains. Like the horn sections in a band trying to work in perfect sync, at ofi, working with farming communities across the globe to grow, source and produce food ingredients and solutions, we’re orchestrating a multi-layered approach on climate action. We’ve already done a lot of the theoretical construct – our overarching sustainability strategy Choices for Change provides the musical score that makes it easy for customers and stakeholders to understand our approach, progress, and impact across all products and ingredients.

It sets ambitious targets that include halving Scope 1 & 2 emissions and cutting Scope 3 by 30% by 2030, in line with SBTi. We’ve laid out the ‘how’ with action plans to achieve these targets and deliver interconnected benefits. And these are backed by policies, specialist manuals, digital tools and our sustainability management system AtSource.

 

But here's the thing about music – and climate action: It's not just about hitting the right notes. It's about innovation, adaptation, and synchronizing diverse elements for maximum effect. Low-carbon cocoa and coffee handbooks guide our field teams on the most impactful climate-smart practices to incorporate into their training sessions with farmers. Granular farm data gathered by our teams on the ground flows into AtSource and the smart tools that are embedded and developed by our climate action team - a Digital Footprint Calculator, Carbon Scenario Planner, and Carbon Sequestration Monitoring tool. In combination, they bring AI-powered analysis and robustly modelled scenarios that allow us to track changes in forest cover and carbon stocks across our supply chains and design programs with our customers to deliver long-term greenhouse gas reductions.

 

Just as in music, there's no solo path to tackling climate change. It’s too complex with too many uncertainties to be scored in detail. Which is why our focus remains on working hand-in-hand with our customers, NGOs, certification agencies, development finance institutions, local governments and of course, the farmers themselves, to scale impact. Everyone has a part to play.

 

The most powerful ensembles are formed from bringing together multiple players in production landscapes under a long-term and large-scale plan to achieve holistic transformational change for nature and people. Like in Côte d’Ivoire, where ofi’s coffee team has joined forces with IDH, roaster JDE Peets, regional councils and local cooperatives to conserve forest resources and promote sustainable coffee production in the Cavally region, home to the largest protected area of rainforest in West Africa.  This is one of our 7 active ‘living landscape partnerships’ and we’ve committed to establishing 20 by 2030. An approach that resonates with one of the prominent soundbites to come out of COP29; that “radical collaboration” is the only way to solve the big climate challenges we face.

 

As we look ahead to COP30, the rich biodiversity and ecological importance of the Amazonian backdrop should serve as a stark reminder of what’s at stake if we don’t make the right choices to accelerate climate action. I invite fellow sustainability leaders to join our orchestra for change. Let's create harmony between business growth and environmental stewardship.

 

Because when it comes to climate action, we're all in the same band.

 

#BetheChange #ClimateAction #Sustainability #FoodSystems #COP30

Contact form call to action with the words want to talk, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch today Ofi card

Want to talk?

We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch today.