Our People
Naturo is not merely a participant in the market; we are architects of change, reshaping the landscape of what dairy can mean & what it can do for our health, wellness and performance.
Meet The Naturo Management Team
Guided by a vision that transcends profit margins, our amazing & talented team at Naturo is committed to pioneering and pushing the boundaries of milk processing technologies & providing genuine health and wellness benefits to those who drink it.
It is due to the combined effort of our dedicated team of international people, that has enabled Haelen® Technology to be in the position where we now stand at the threshold of a new era in dairy, changing the way the world thinks about milk.
“Jeff has consistently demonstrated his ability to tackle complex engineering challenges and engage top-tier management and engineering talent across five countries.”
Ash RichardsonDirector of the Board
Jeff is an accomplished agricultural engineer and the creator of Naturo’s Haelen® Technology. He previously founded Natavo, developing a natural process to extend the shelf life of avocados threefold, whilst also reducing in-store labour and wastage. This thriving startup is now profitable and poised for global expansion, exporting from custom production facilities in South Africa and Mexico to customers in the USA, Europe and Japan. Jeff has consistently demonstrated his ability to tackle complex engineering challenges and engage top-tier management and engineering talent across five countries. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Southern Queensland and is highly respected by peers in agriculture, engineering and science, including Australia’s CSIRO.
Andy oversees the development and commercialization of Haelen® Technology. Merging his background in R&D and Food Technology with an international career working in Operations and Plant Management, he is an experienced leader excited to bring Haelen® to all corners of the globe.
Frank is a strategic CFO with over 25 years experience in corporate development projects. With the past decade focused on the food production and distribution sector, Frank brings his M&A and Corporate Advisory skills to the Naturo team to help navigate the commercialisation phase of Haelen® Technology.
Debra is an experienced leader with over 20 years in executive
and management R&D roles. Debra has broad experience taking world-first technologies from concept to commercialization and leads Haelen’s R&D, quality and regulatory compliance activities.
Jordan has 15 years’ experience working across maintenance and operations in food manufacturing. He has led capital project execution and maintenance teams in best-in class manufacturing plants. Jordan leads our operation and execution of activities in our Haelen® Innovation Centre.
Paula began her career in the travel industry and spent 20 years in roles such as a travel agent, account manager and call centre manager. She then moved into digital marketing whilst studying at the London College of International Business, gaining experience and expertise in creating websites and blogs. Paula’s knowledge in digital marketing helped her to work with businesses and start-ups to get noticed online.
Upon returning to Australia, she worked as a marketing manager in a leading digital marketing agency before moving on to run her own boutique digital business for 5 years. Finally, in 2017 she joined Naturo as Office Manager, where her wide array of skills are a great match for our fast-growing innovative company. Paula is now the Marketing Executive for both Milk & Avocado businesses.
Meet The Naturo Board & Advisory Members
"We are filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation for the journey ahead. We have all embarked on a voyage of discovery through the pioneering culture of Naturo, and we are thrilled to help them to evolve and grow into a beacon of innovation in the dairy industry."
Dr Glen Richards, Chairman
Glen has a long history in fostering early-stage businesses including his Shark Tank investments. As a professional investor and highly successful entrepreneur, Glen has taken a very active mentor role with Naturo.
Jeff is an accomplished agricultural engineer and the creator of Naturo’s Haelen® Technology. He previously founded Natavo, developing a natural process to extend the shelf life of avocados threefold, whilst also reducing in-store labour and wastage. This thriving startup is now profitable and poised for global expansion, exporting from custom production facilities in South Africa and Mexico to customers in the USA, Europe and Japan. Jeff has consistently demonstrated his ability to tackle complex engineering challenges and engage top-tier management and engineering talent across five countries. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Southern Queensland and is highly respected by peers in agriculture, engineering and science, including Australia’s CSIRO.
At Accenture, Ash led strategy, execution and outsourcing projects in the UK, Sweden and USA. He was Managing Partner of Europe’s largest digital media agency, Oyster Partners, and is the architect behind #stratapp, the world’s first app to solve strategy, execution, engagement and productivity in one experience. Ash has deep skills in venture capital investing, modern org design and making x-border teams successful. Ash has an MBA from Deakin University, a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering from RMIT and a Diploma in Information Technology from QUT.
Rob commenced his investment market career at Macquarie Bank before moving to JM Financial Group. He then founded Endeavor Asset Management in 2010 where he was the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer. The business was successfully sold in 2021. His investment expertise includes the Australian equities market, start-up companies and non-listed businesses. Rob currently manages a diverse portfolio of investments ranging from property developments through to hospitality. Rob holds a Bachelor of Business (Banking and Finance) from Monash University.
Bruce has more than 35 years experience in the Dairy Industry, ranging from dairy farming, manufacturing / supply chain systems and commercial. He led the Australian 50/50 joint venture between Fonterra and Bonlac Foods Ltd which subsequently became Fonterra Australia. Bruce continued a commercial career as MD Ingredients for Fonterra Australia.
Andrew has over 20 years FMCG experience across General Management and Supply Chain. Andrew was COO at Gourmet Garden for 11 years, growing the business from $20m to $100. He was then CEO of COYO which quadrupled it’s size in 3.5 years. Andrew then joined Sunshine Coast Council (SCC) as Head of Economic Development in 2020, driven by a desire to help grow the connections and collaboration within the Sunshine Coast business community. Andrew now leads the Turbine, a collaborative Food and Beverage Manufacturing Precinct, to be located on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, which will enable SME food and beverage manufacturers to innovate and scale.