About > Executive Management

MARK CHRISTIAN – Chief Executive Officer

Mark Christian joined WFT after 25 years of international business & consumer brands experience and brings with him an ability to get strong performance from companies involved in both consumer products and soft commodities. He has been directly involved within market segments spanning baked goods, confectionery, long shelf life (UHT) beverages and breakfast cereals.

His responsibilities include overseeing WFT international business activities with a central role in the group’s ongoing corporate development. Mark has a Bachelor of Commerce from RMIT in Australia and is today based in South East Asia.

DR VISH LAKSHMI - Director Technical Services

Dr Vish brings to the position of Director Technical Services more than 40 years international experience gained throughout corporate, industrial and institutional market environments. His high level of technical expertise and commercial experience is backed by post graduate qualifications in Dairy Technology and Business Administration and he has a Ph D in Food Science together with extensive manufacturing experience in FMCG for food, dairy, breakfast cereals, baked goods and nutritional products and his strength lies in R & D, New Product Development, Food Processing and Quality Assurance.

Dr Vish was elected as FELLOW OF AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF FOOD SCEIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY and he is RABQSA Lead Auditor for food safety and quality management systems.

STEPHEN YAMADA – Chief Financial Officer

Stephen Yamada was appointed to the position of Chief Financial Officer with WFT in August 2008 and is responsible for group financial operations, including accounting & reporting, financial planning & analysis and treasury & tax.

Stephen has 20 years financial sector experience and has held senior management positions with international companies including Nippon Flour Mills, Meiji Dairies, Japan Tobacco, Kraft Foods and Nabisco.

Stephen Yamada holds a Bachelor of Accounting from the University of Kyoto.

JAMES CHRISTIAN – General Manager

James Christian joined WFT in March 2008 and is today the company’s General Manager.

Previously James held key positions in strategic planning & sales for several years with Just Private Label Limited, a group specialising in the manufacture of private label food SKU’s for grocery and foodservice channels and he has a Bachelor of Commerce from Macquarie University.

JAMES GARDE - Group Account Manager

James Garde was appointed Group Account Manager in May 2008 after 7 years with United Biscuits where he held a series of senior roles in UBUK and UBNE gaining both sales & marketing experience across a broad range of FMCG.

For the past year James has focused on the senior role of Group Account Manager (Client Services). He has a Business Management Communication Degree from the University of Birmingham.