People in Business
When GMP Pharmaceuticals Limited launched its Dairy Division about three years ago, it required an executive team that would draw upon its penchant and reputation for quality and build a structure that would befit the prime sector of the New Zealand economy.
GMP Dairy Limited has the benefits of being a member of the GMP Pharmaceuticals Group with operations in Australia and New Zealand. Its business model is based on identifying, processing and transforming low value food and nutritional ingredients into high value finished products, especially for the Asia markets, where there is high demand for those products for cultural or nutritional benefits.
Significant contributor
The Company is fast emerging as a significant contributor to the markets it serves and its impressive performance has been orchestrated by a team of professionals, line-managers and processing people.
Among them is Ravinesh Kumaran, Deputy General Manager and Financial Controller, bringing pride to the accounting and Indian communities.
As an accountant involved in audit for about 14 years, he brings to his job qualities of strict discipline with an uncompromising approach to proper documentation, structured approach to problem solving, quick response to customer inquiries and strong ethics.
“These have been useful in engaging with employees and customer to promote changes, implement good corporate governance and accounting controls,” he said.
Serious setbacks
But his current status did not come about without a bout of challenges and problems.
Disappointment strengthens the resolve of people to persist in their efforts despite personal setbacks. Mr Kumaran is an example to this belief. When he was a teenager, he lost his father in an accident in his native Fiji. His resolve to seek higher education brought him a graduate degree in Accounting, helping him to launch his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
Six years later, he submitted an application with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) for Permanent Resident (PR) status, confident that he had complied with the requirements.
He was surprised when INZ declined his application on the ground that his experience in Fiji was not recognised in New Zealand. He later obtained employment at KPMG in New Zealand, qualifying for PR. He has since become a Member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and CPA Australia.
Strategic move
His move to GMP Dairy Limited was not only strategic but also timely. His professional qualifications and experience have enabled him to be engaged in multiple facets of the business and become a key member of the senior leadership team at GMP.
“I am proud to have played a fundamental part in the success of GMP Dairy Limited, which has recently passed a worldwide audit of infant formula companies by China and was the first and only company in New Zealand to have passed the audit without any corrective actions,” Mr Kumaran said.
Innovative ideas
Adapting to economic trends and changing business environment is imperative for commercial success, added to which is the innovative spirit.
GMP Dairy has shown its leadership in innovation, an example of which is ‘AUNEW,’ a system that provides access for products made in Australia and New Zealand into mainland China, product anti-counterfeiting solutions and patented traceability and black box systems to provide assurance over sensitive products such as infant formula.
Mr Kumaran is keen to learn more, widen the scope of his work and utilise opportunities to improve his skills.
“Ultimately, I am looking at establishing myself as a recognised professional in the area of Finance but with excellent commercial and business acumen that can benefit my career. GMP has aspirations of becoming a listed company in the next three years and I would like to take the Company towards that goal,” he said.
2. GMP Dairy Plant in Auckland
