Ashneel Ambedkar
Auckland
Summary
Accomplished and versatile leader in leading Food Safety & Quality, dedicated to developing and empowering teams for long-term success. Strategic thinker with a focus on futureproofing and enhancing resilience to proactively address risks across the entire value chain. Skilled in implementing quality processes in FMCG manufacturing and corporate settings, adhering to recognized standards and fostering innovation. Proficient in managing complex projects and process improvements, collaborating with multidisciplinary functions and influencing senior management and key decision-makers.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
Work History
General Manager Food Safety & Quality
Fonterra Brands New Zealand Limited (FBNZ)
07.2023 - Current
- Advocated for and spearheaded robust talent pipeline initiatives, resulting in a more than 50% increase in internal promotions and transfers consequently uplifting engagement with the function.
- Proactively led and managed critical events and effectively mitigated commercial and continuity risks through pragmatic and rapid technical assessment of products with defined parameters and guidelines for the business.
- Provided architecture and led construction of FBNZ FSQR integrated hub framework driving efficiency, integrated ways of working, building FSQ capability across the business, enhanced regulatory confidence and RFT performance.
National QA Manager
Fonterra Brands New Zealand Limited (FBNZ)
01.2022 - 06.2023
- Formulated and deployed FBNZ FSQR long-term vision and strategy to drive functional excellence and to support in achieving the overall business strategy. Communication of strategy with LT and key external stakeholders for shared FSQ vision and accountability.
- KPI reform and deployment project for FBNZ – rationalised lagging indicators and introduced leading indicators, providing early insights into opportunities to drive enhanced and sustained performance and standards – resulting in uplifting compliance confidence across FBNZ sites with regulators and customers.
- Successfully developed and implemented FSQ best practices including validation protocols, systems and standards for the major capital projects incorporating quality by design approach across FBNZ sites to support business strategic growth plans (whilst being the FSQ Stream Lead & DA for the Governance/Steerco group). Key projects include Project Mega (fresh milk & cream state of art Stork fillers) , UHT Line A3 Flex, Galdi in Foods plant, Steri 3 Homogeniser, Franchisee deport on-site, Project Pulp (new fruit processing plant) and new bag in box filler for the UHT plant. Continued support to stabilize operations through technical and scientific analysis and scoping the business efforts in commercialising the sale of fruit pulp from the Foods plant in addition to the internal use.
Food Safety & Quality Manager
Fonterra Brands New Zealand Limited (FBNZ)
03.2019 - 12.2021
- Led FSQ loss elimination strategy by proactively identifying losses leading/influencing key projects for all plants, – Beverages compositional focused, cooling cell fault elimination project at the Foods plant and foreign matter reduction for Beverages products.
- Project Lead for improving Right First Time for the UHT plant with great significance to the business loss elimination journey and aligned with FBNZ strategic plan, cost savings of approx. $1M
- Project lead for de-escalating positive release of products on Listeria result, successfully eliminated the access levels of testing previously imposed due to environmental pathogen risks, cost savings of approx. $500K
- Implemented Secure Exports Schemes program to enable export of UHT products directly from the site unlocking volume and export opportunities.
Quality Manager Lead for Australia
Kerry Ingredients Australia Pty Ltd
03.2018 - 02.2019
- Governance Lead for scale up projects ($30 million – both NZ and Australia sites) – commissioning and validation of process to ensure consistent manufacturing of commercial product fit for purpose.
- Project lead for compliance to document requirements in alignment with regional standards resulting in quality excellence, customer satisfaction and improved business.
- Supported driving cultural change throughout the organization to improve quality, reduce waste and rework, and reduce customer rejections via development of layered process auditing and monitoring of leading indicators (trained competent staff, completion of RCA for identified non-conformance)
- Successfully analyzed and implemented cost reduction and value addition projects – 15% reduction to external lab test and 10% reduction to chemical cost via tender process.
Quality Assurance Manager for NZ Division
Kerry Ingredients New Zealand Ltd
06.2017 - 03.2018
- Reduction to customer complaints, improved first response rate to complaints within 24 hours and proactive customer engagement established with key customers.
- Completed hygiene movement risk assessment - enhanced zoning and microbiological surveillance of the environment based on risk, identification of sample sites, target organisms and acceptance criteria, microbiological testing and trending of environmental sites.
- Completion of risk assessment and validation of allergens to ensure continuous compliance with mandatory and cross contact allergen levels on-site.
- Developed and implement challenged based internal auditing framework.
- Implementing and embedding RCA and impact rating for NCs and internal failures for effective CAPA
- Collaboratively assisted CI team in coaching, implementing and managing key continuous improvement initiatives across sites (A3, Gemba walk, Kaizen, PDCA models)
Quality Compliance Manager
Jack Links New Zealand Limited
06.2014 - 06.2017
- Uplifted compliance performance and implemented standards to enable market access requirements on-site.
- Developed and implemented KPI for Quality and compliance team which improved department efficiency significantly. Utilized improvement projects as catalyst to train key staff on leadership skills.
- Successfully Implemented and validated new weighing system for retail line contributing to a more accurate computation of AQS while minimising percentage giveaway with savings in excess of 750K per year
Senior Quality Assurance Manager
Van Den Brink Poultry Limited
06.2011 - 06.2014
- Part of the Transformation Lead Team – executed re-branding, SKU and brand rationalisation projects inline with business strategic plan.
- Achieved highest MPI compliance step (5) for the two plants through continuous improvement initiatives in Quality systems and process control.
- Project Team Leader for Water Retention - Actively contributed in working variables influencing water uptake by carcasses during immersion and developing trials using scientific approach to ascertain effects of changes implemented. Outcome: successful, improved quality and saved around 800k per year
Quality Assurance Team Leader
PH Van Den Brink Limited
08.2009 - 06.2011
- Reduced external lab costing by 20% by implementing internal testing methods using recognised testing methods and RFP process for outsourced testing.
- Project Lead - product shelf-life extension project for two sites – assistance with conducting scientific evaluation on shelf-life extension, implementing and validating changes, data analysis and overall change manager.
- Part of the ETS group - establish commercially viable and reporting options for Brinks.
- Developed and implemented ERP, site security (Food Fraud, Food Defence) and BCP plans.
- Reduced consultancy cost of upto $100k per year by undertaking SBR operations and compliance quarterly reports internally.
Senior QA & Environmental officer
PH Van Den Brink Limited
07.2007 - 08.2009
- Responsible for ensuring consistent quality of production by developing and enforcing good manufacturing practice (GMP) systems; validation processes and robust documentation systems
- Ensure compliance with quality control processes including monitoring, record keeping and verification to ensure that requirements with RMP are met
- Accountable for environmental compliance with relevant regulatory requirements
- Promote environmental sustainability, continual quality improvements and pollution prevention in all aspects of the business.
Production Supervisor
Fiji Sugar Corporation
01.2006 - 07.2007
- Consistently met or exceeded production targets while maintaining strict quality standards, resulting in increased customer satisfaction.
- Reduced equipment downtime by implementing preventive maintenance programs and timely repairs.
- Enhanced production efficiency by implementing lean manufacturing techniques and reducing waste.
- Conducted root cause analysis on production issues for prompt resolution, minimizing negative impacts on output rates and contributed to continuous improvement efforts.
- Collaborated with management and engineering teams to develop and implement innovative strategies for maximizing production efficiency without compromising quality standards.
Education
Master of Engineering Studies - Food Engineering, Innovation Management
Auckland University of Technology
Auckland, New Zealand 02.2010 - 04.2011
Bachelor of Science Hons - Food Chemistry & Physics
University of The South Pacific
Suva, Fiji 02.2003 - 04.2006
Skills
Regulatory Frameworks & Compliance
Target Market
Seeking a senior leadership role with the opportunity to enhance food safety and quality, regulatory and compliance standards by driving continuous improvement initiatives, actively developing the team and creating long term strategic plan.
Referees
Available upon request
Timeline
General Manager Food Safety & Quality
Fonterra Brands New Zealand Limited (FBNZ)
07.2023 - Current
National QA Manager
Fonterra Brands New Zealand Limited (FBNZ)
01.2022 - 06.2023
Food Safety & Quality Manager
Fonterra Brands New Zealand Limited (FBNZ)
03.2019 - 12.2021
Quality Manager Lead for Australia
Kerry Ingredients Australia Pty Ltd
03.2018 - 02.2019
Quality Assurance Manager for NZ Division
Kerry Ingredients New Zealand Ltd
06.2017 - 03.2018
Quality Compliance Manager
Jack Links New Zealand Limited
06.2014 - 06.2017
Senior Quality Assurance Manager
Van Den Brink Poultry Limited
06.2011 - 06.2014
Master of Engineering Studies - Food Engineering, Innovation Management
Auckland University of Technology
02.2010 - 04.2011
Quality Assurance Team Leader
PH Van Den Brink Limited
08.2009 - 06.2011
Senior QA & Environmental officer
PH Van Den Brink Limited
07.2007 - 08.2009
Production Supervisor
Fiji Sugar Corporation
01.2006 - 07.2007
Bachelor of Science Hons - Food Chemistry & Physics
University of The South Pacific
02.2003 - 04.2006
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