CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Food Manufacturing/CFO Background) Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Area

The CEO will have full responsibility for the overall performance of the business, encompassing strategy, P&L, commercial growth, manufacturing operations, supply chain, procurement, finance, people and organisational development.

Given the organisation's next phase of growth, the ideal candidate will bring a strong CFO / finance leadership background combined with broad commercial and operational exposure. The successful candidate must be able to move beyond traditional finance leadership and act as a true business leader — translating financial insights into commercial decisions, improving manufacturing economics, driving operational discipline and identifying new avenues for profitable growth.

This is a highly hands-on leadership role suited to an individual who is commercially aggressive, financially astute, operationally minded and capable of building a high-performance organisation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Business Strategy & Leadership

Develop and execute the company's overall business strategy in alignment with the Board's vision and long-term objectives.

Define clear strategic priorities for revenue growth, profitability, market expansion, operational excellence and organisational capability.

Lead the business through its next stage of growth, transformation and professionalisation.

Translate strategy into clear business plans, budgets, KPIs and measurable execution priorities.

Establish a performance-driven culture with strong accountability across the leadership team.

Identify opportunities for business diversification, new markets, partnerships, acquisitions and strategic investments.

1. Full P&L & Financial Leadership

Assume full accountability for the company's P&L, cash flow, balance sheet and overall financial performance.

Drive revenue growth, gross margin improvement, EBITDA growth and sustainable profitability.

Leverage strong financial acumen to improve pricing, product profitability, customer profitability, cost structures and capital allocation.

Establish robust budgeting, forecasting and management reporting processes to support faster and better business decisions.

Identify opportunities for cost optimisation, working capital improvement and cash generation.

Ensure disciplined management of CAPEX and evaluate investment decisions based on ROI and long-term strategic value.

Strengthen financial controls, governance, risk management and business performance management.

1. Manufacturing & Operational Excellence

Provide overall leadership to manufacturing operations, ensuring high standards of productivity, quality, cost, delivery and safety.

Drive improvements in production efficiency, capacity utilisation, yield, wastage, labour productivity, energy consumption and manufacturing costs.

Work closely with the Operations and Plant leadership teams to improve OEE, reduce downtime and optimise production planning.

Ensure manufacturing capacity and capabilities are aligned with current and future demand.

Lead automation, technology adoption, process improvement and continuous improvement initiatives.

Evaluate and optimise manufacturing footprint, capacity expansion and capital investment requirements.

Ensure the business operates with appropriate food safety, quality and regulatory standards.

1. Commercial & Business Growth

Lead the development and execution of the company's commercial strategy across key customer segments and channels.

Drive revenue growth through customer acquisition, account development, pricing strategy, product portfolio optimisation and market expansion.

Strengthen relationships with key customers, distributors, principals, suppliers and strategic partners.

Identify opportunities to expand into new markets, geographies, product categories and customer segments.

Improve product and customer profitability through disciplined commercial and financial analysis.

Partner with Sales, Marketing and R&D to strengthen the product portfolio and develop new products aligned with market demand.

Monitor industry, consumer and competitor trends and translate market opportunities into actionable business strategies.

1. Supply Chain, Procurement & Working Capital

Oversee the effectiveness of end-to-end supply chain, including demand planning, procurement, inventory, warehousing and logistics.

Optimise raw material sourcing, supplier performance, purchasing costs and inventory levels.

Improve working capital through better inventory management, receivables discipline and supplier terms.

Ensure supply chain resilience and continuity of critical raw materials and packaging.

Work closely with Procurement and Operations to improve total landed cost and supply chain efficiency.

1. Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory Compliance

Maintain the highest standards of food safety, product quality and regulatory compliance across the organisation.

Ensure the business maintains appropriate certifications and compliance with relevant food manufacturing, Halal, GMP, HACCP and other applicable standards.

Establish a strong quality and food safety culture throughout the organisation.

Ensure appropriate controls are in place to manage product quality, customer complaints, recalls, audits and regulatory risks.

Work closely with QA/QC, Technical and Operations teams to continuously improve product quality and manufacturing standards.

1. Organisation & People Leadership

Build, develop and retain a high-performing senior management team.

Establish clear accountability, KPIs and performance expectations across all functions.

Strengthen organisational structure, talent management and succession planning in line with business growth.

Develop a culture of ownership, performance, continuous improvement and commercial accountability.

Coach and mentor functional leaders while ensuring the organisation remains agile and execution-focused.

Lead organisational transformation where required to support scale and future growth.

1. Board & Stakeholder Management

Act as the key link between management and the Board, providing clear and timely updates on business performance, risks and strategic initiatives.

Present business plans, budgets, forecasts, investment proposals and strategic recommendations to the Board.

Build strong relationships with shareholders, financial institutions, customers, suppliers, regulators and other key stakeholders.

Ensure the company operates with a high standard of corporate governance, transparency and integrity.

Requirements

Experience

Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, Engineering or a related discipline. MBA or relevant professional qualification is an advantage.

15+ years of progressive leadership experience, preferably with significant exposure to food manufacturing, FMCG or consumer products.

Strong CFO / Finance Director / senior finance leadership background with demonstrated progression into broader business leadership.

Proven experience in full P&L ownership and enterprise-level decision making.

Strong exposure to manufacturing operations, supply chain, procurement and commercial functions.

Experience leading a business transformation, turnaround, scale-up or growth agenda will be highly advantageous.

Experience dealing with Boards, shareholders, banks, investors and other senior stakeholders.

Regional or international exposure will be an advantage.