Mohd Azlan
Chairman of PNGOPRA
Azlan was appointed as CEO of NBPOL on 15 January 2021. Azlan has more than 33 years of experience in the oil palm/rubber industry starting his career as a plantation executive and has served as General Manager for Aceh & Riau Selatan, Indonesia. From 2007 to 2018, Azlan took on various senior management roles in Sime Darby Plantation Berhad before joining NBPOL in January 2019 as General Manager for West New Britain.
Cheah See Siang
Director of Research (PNGOPRA)
Cheah See Siang was appointed in December 2019 as Director of Research of PNGOPRA and holds the position of Head of NBPOL Research. His key roles include but are not limited to coordinating research efforts for the oil palm industry in PNG, such as developing advanced agricultural practices and better planting materials. He is currently positioned at Dami Research Station in West New Britain Province in PNG, where he operates and resides. He began his career with Sime Darby Plantation Berhad in Malaysia as a junior agronomist, and since then, he has advanced his career to his current position. He has 25 years of working experience in oil palm and holds a PhD in Agronomy.
Craig Gibson
Director
Craig has been in the palm oil industry for over 17 years, starting his career in PNG with NBPOL in 2006 as an Assistant Plantation Manager. He was later transferred to the Solomon Islands, initially as an Estate Manager and then 2017 promoted to General Manager. After 12 years in the Solomon Islands, Craig returned to PNG accepting a role with SIPEF, joining Hargy Oil Palms Limited as General Manager in January 2022. Craig is from Western Australia and holds a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness Management from Curtin University.
Ian Orrell
Secretary of PNGOPRA
Ian has 30 years of experience in the palm oil industry and, for most of this time, has been involved in oil palm research, initially as an agronomist, but later spent 17 years as the CEO of the PNGOPRA. He was the PNG Palm Oil Council CEO for 5-years before joining NBPOL in 2015 to take up a role as Group Head of Sustainability. Ian is a member of several PNGGovernment and institutional Boards & committees dealing with rural development, infrastructure, climate change, health and the environment. He is the Deputy Chairman of the Rural Industries Council of PNG and an active member of the RSPO’s Smallholder Working Group.
Rollan Soupa
Director
Roland Soupa is the General Manager of Milne Bay Estates, a part of New Britain Palm Oil Group which operates in PNG and the Solomon Island. Mr Soupa joined NBPOL (WNB) in 1989 as a Trainee Assistant Manager and has a wealth of experience (32 years) in the Oil Palm Industry in PNG. He has held various Senior Management Positions within the organization. He spent most of his time in West New Britain Province for 27 years (1989 – 2015); from late 2015 to late 2020 ( 5 years), he was General Manager of Poliamba Limited in New Ireland Province. He is currently the General Manager for Milne Bay Estates since late 2020. Before joining NBPOL, Mr Soupa was attached to Coffee Research Institute (now under Coffee Industry Cooperation) in Goroka Eastern Highland Province from 1988 to 1989. The Mainline of research was on “Coffee Leaf Rust” a fungal disease that has crippled coffee production in Papua New Guinea since 1988. Mr Soupa holds a Degree and a master’s in Business Management and a Diploma in Tropical Agriculture.
Eric Wise
Director
Eric Wise is currently, Acting as General Manager of Ramu Agri Industries Ltd since 03:05:23. Key roles include overseeing the Beef, Oil Palm and Sugar Operations at Ramu. Joined Ramu Sugar in November 2006 as a Mills and Boilers Engineer, moved on to Maintenance and Engineering Manager in 2012, and then to Head of Sugar operations in 2019 until May 2023. Managed 450 Employees at the sugar and Ethanol production, Also assist in technical issues throughout the Ramu Estate and in other company operations. Joined Ramu Agri Industries Ltd from Fiji Sugar Corporation in Fiji. Did 5 Years as Trade Apprentice in Fitting and Machining, 5 Years Management Cadet, Graduated Diploma in Mechanical Engineer from Fiji National University and Plant Engineer with Fiji Sugar Corporation for 10 Years. Married with 4 Children.
Kepson Pupita
Photo pending Biodata to follow