CEO and Business Owner | Expert in Business Leadership, Financial Performance Management | Championing Plant-Based Protein & Sustainable Agriculture
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Location: Leederville, Perth, Western Australia
Company: Wide Open Agriculture Ltd (ASX: WOA)
Sector: Ingredients Manufacturing / Food Technology / Plant Protein
Employment Type: Full-time
About Us
Wide Open Agriculture is an ASX-listed company applying innovative technology to transform lupins into healthy, functional and sustainable ingredients for the food, beverage and cosmetic sectors.
WOA's 'whole of seed' business model utilises all elements of the lupin seed to create a suite of high value ingredients, including lupin protein, fibre, lupin oil and gamma conglutin. We are at an exciting stage of commercialisation and growth, having successfully transitioned from pilot scale to early commercial scale protein production, with repeat customers and a strong global sales pipeline, and promising opportunities for the coproducts including lupin oil and fibre. Gamma conglutin is at an early stage of development but shows interesting potential.
With access to the Chinese market through a distribution agreement with Univar, and leads into other Asian markets, WOA has significant growth potential, and a significant portfolio of trade secrets and IP protection around lupin production.
Role Overview
WOA's new CEO role offers a breakthrough career opportunity for a committed, passionate and accomplished senior leader in the food, ingredients or manufacturing/engineering sectors.
We are seeking an ambitious, committed and driven CEO to take charge of strategy implementation and scale up WOA's business model. This is a hands‑on role for someone who thrives on creating new growth opportunities whilst maintaining focus on accountability, efficiency, and results. The ideal candidate will bring ingredients industry experience or experience in a scale up in the manufacturing environment, proven commercial instincts. Experience in working with global partners and a passion for supporting the decarbonization of the food and farming system are highly desirable. The role will require a proven team leader that thrives on building a strong team culture using value‑based leadership.
Key Responsibilities
The CEO will be responsible for setting and executing the company's strategy, driving operational excellence, delivering high‑level customer service and leading the commercialisation of multiple lupin‑based ingredients with global demand.
You will oversee all aspects of growth with a focus on supply chain development with WA lupin farmers, strategic partnerships in key markets and market expansion across the globe. You will be supported by a committed board, a talented team and distribution partners around the world as you drive WOA towards profitability and commercial scale.
Key responsibilities of the role include:
* Partner with the Team and Board to evaluate and execute strategic growth initiatives
* Improve production economics to demonstrate a pathway to profitability for subsequent scale up
* Lead and oversee all operational functions including supply chain, production, logistics and sales
* Ensure strict adherence to budgets, deadlines, and regulatory requirements.
* Develop and maintain effective stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and partnerships to advance WOA's business.
Key Requirements
* Minimum 10 years' experience in senior operational roles, preferably in the food, ingredients or manufacturing /engineering industries.
* Hands‑on leadership style with the energy and drive to thrive in a fast‑moving, complex and resource‑constrained environment.
* Highly resilient, adaptable, and committed to WOA's mission to manufacture ingredients that offer health‑benefits to global consumers and supports the decarbonization of the food & farming system.
* Experience in scaling early‑stage or high‑growth companies is highly desirable.
* Proven ability to deliver projects on time and within budget.
* Strong financial and commercial acumen, with experience managing P&L and operating cost structures.
* Familiarity with ASX‑listed company requirements and/or presenting to investors preferred.
* Engineering / Project Management background preferred
* Proven experience in building value‑based team environments and cultures
* Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills.
* Role to be based in Perth, Western Australia with regular travel to Asia
Remuneration & Benefits
In line with the experience of the candidate and the expectations of the role.
* Performance‑linked bonus tied to delivery of key milestones and KPIs.
* Significant equity participation to align with company growth and shareholder value
* Superannuation in line with Australian legislation
This package is deliberately structured to reward a candidate who wants to participate in an exciting growth opportunity, with significant upside potential that also delivers significant impact.
The candidate should be willing to roll up their sleeves and be driven to build a world‑class food technology business from its current stage.
What We Offer
* A career defining, breakthrough executive role in an ASX‑listed company with global growth potential.
* An opportunity to lead the global expansion of a nutritious ingredient with proven health benefits with potential to support healthy lifestyles for consumers across the globe
* Delivering significant environmental impact through commercialisation of a suite of innovative ingredients that directly support the decarbonisation of the farm and food sector
* A value‑based workplace that encourages and supports high‑performance, commitment and professionalism
* Operations from Perth with regular travel to markets around the world (with a focus on Asia).
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Candidate Details
* Seniority Level: Executive
* Employment type: Full-time
* Job function: Business Development and Sales
* Industries: Food and Beverage Manufacturing
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