About Us
The Infant Nutrition Council Ltd was established in 2009 and is an amalgamation of the Infant Formula Manufacturers’ Association of Australia (IFMAA) and the New Zealand Infant Formula Marketers’ Association (NZIFMA).
INC Corporate Brochure
Organisation Structure
INC represents the major manufacturers, marketers and ingredient suppliers of infant formula and toddler milk in Australia and New Zealand as well as local manufacturers who are producing product for export.
As the trusted voice of the Australian and New Zealand infant formula and toddler milk industry, INC promotes optimal infant nutrition, including supporting the proper use of breast milk substitutes and toddler milk drinks.
Board Directors
Maria Venetoulis has been practising law for over 18 years, with most of those spent in-house across the media, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Since October 2019, Maria has been the General Counsel for Danone. As the head of Regulatory and Industry Affairs, Legal, Compliance and Company Secretarial functions for this company, and former Senior Legal Counsel at Aspen Pharmaceuticals when it marketed, sold and distributed the S26 formula brand, Maria strongly believes in the INC’s purpose of championing the rights of infants to receive the best nutrition, backed by scientific research and development. Maria has a deep interest and understanding of the challenges faced by this industry and wants to contribute to shaping its future.
General Manager Sanulac Nutrition Australasia, CEO NZ New Milk Limited and Director of New Milk China.
David has more than 25-years’ experience in the Dairy sector, began his career as a Graduate Chemical Engineer in Bay Milk Products (now part of Fonterra).
David complemented his Dairy experience with business development skills to successfully launch a dairy engineering company in China, growing this into ‘design and build’ for three large China dairy projects. In 2010 David co-founded NZ New Milk, an export dairy company manufacturing infant formula and consumer ready dairy products. Now spanning both New Zealand and China, with more than 250 staff, this continues to expand and explore new markets.
NZ New Milk Limited has recently been acquired by Lactalis Group a privately owned French dairy conglomerate. David has been appointed as the General Manager for Australia and New Zealand Sanulac Nutrition. Our dedicated sales and marketing team of approximately 50 staff in Australia are committed to providing the best specialty ad infant products.
David lives with his wife and daughter in Auckland, New Zealand.
Jithesh is the Head of Quality and CSR for Bellamy’s Organic Pty Ltd. He has about 20 years’ experience in food industry in Asia, Oceania and Europe predominantly in infant nutrition.
Suzan is currently the Director of Quality, Regulatory and Laboratory Services at Synlait Milk Ltd. Her last role was Director Quality Affairs, Business Group EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) for FrieslandCampina.
Victoria is the Director of Functional Nutrition for Fonterra Australia. In this role her team is responsible for supporting the local and global Fonterra strategy for sports and active lifestyle, paediatrics and medical nutrition.
From a dietetics background, previous to her current role Victoria was the Global Head of Regulatory Affairs for Fonterra responsible for regulatory support of all of Fonterra multi-market New Product Development, global advocacy and regulatory systems and compliance. Before joining Fonterra in 2007 Victoria had a diverse ranges of experiences including community dietitian, Food Service Manager and Senior Nutrition roles with in the Australian government.
Victoria has been an active member of the Infant Nutrition Council for over 10 years and in Feb 2018 was elected as Deputy Chair of the Board. In September 2022 Victoria took on the role of acting Chair.
Liz is the Senior Corporate Counsel at Nestlè, with more than 15 years experience across a variety of commercial legal roles and a demonstrated history of working in the food & beverages industry, on sustainability projects and for healthcare clients.
Evan has 20 years’ nutrition experience across FMCG, B2B and Agribusiness, working across ANZ, Asia, Europe & North America. He has led the ANZ Baby Nutrition and Global Marketing for H&H Group since June 2018, supporting key Global brand Biostime. Prior to joining H&H Group, Evan was Business & Marketing Manager at Burra Foods Australia delivering key Infant Nutrition projects to an Australian and Export client base.
Evan spent 7 years in London holding the senior positions of Global Marketing Manager, Nutrition at GlaxoSmithKline and International Marketing Manager at Lakeland Dairies.
Evan holds an B.Bus from Griffith University and has completed the Asialink Business Leaders Program, supported by the University of Melbourne.
Evan was elected as a Director of the Board of Infant Nutrition Council on the 6th December 2022, representing the Associate members.
Secretariat
Jan Carey is the CEO of the Infant Nutrition Council and was previously the Executive Director of both IFMAA and NZIFMA for the past 2 years, prior to their amalgamation. She is the industry representative on the Ministry of Health’s Compliance Panel in New Zealand. In 2013 Jan was appointed to the Executive of the Governing Board for the International Special Dietary Food Industries Association (ISDI). ISDI is based in Brussels, represents the industry globally at Codex, World Health Assembly meetings and WHO Executive Board meetings.
Prior to her appointment Jan was responsible for driving the work of SIDS and Kids, Australia. She was influential in expanding the SIDS organisations’ research and family services both nationally and internationally into the perinatal area to include stillbirth and neonatal death.
Jan was Chair of SIDS and Kids Scientific Advisory Committee, a member of the Global Strategy Task Force for education and SIDS and Kids’ representative on SIDS International from 2001. She was also an Executive Board member of the International Stillbirth Alliance from 2004 to 2007 and is a cofounder of the Australian and New Zealand Stillbirth Alliance (ANZSA).
Jan has presented papers on a number of issues including Indigenous infant mortality, the importance of peer support, safe sleeping for infants and strategies to reduce stillbirth to scientific and other forums including SIDS International, the European Society for the Study and Prevention of Infant Death, the International Stillbirth Alliance and the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand.
She has been nominated for and received a number of awards for her work with SIDS and Kids including:
2002 – Finalist in the Telstra Business Women of the Year, Hudson Community and Government Award
2006 – International Women’s Day Award for outstanding contribution to saving babies lives
2006 – SIDS and Kids Award for outstanding contribution in driving the advocacy strategy to reduce perinatal, infant and young child mortality.
Carole is the Principal Regulatory Advsior of the Infant Nutrition Council and also the Consultant Principal Policy Advisor to the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council.
Carole has over 25 years experience in government policy, strategy and legal areas in both Australia (in the primary industries/agriculture portfolios) and New Zealand (in the agriculture, health and food portfolios).
Carole’s previous positions include:Consultant Technical Expert, Food Policy with the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority; Director, Policy Group with the New Zealand Food Safety Authority; and various positions with the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and Ministry of Health (MoH).
Simon is an experienced executive with an extensive public and private sector background in international business development and government relations.
Prior to joining the Infant Nutrition Council as Trade and Market Access Manager, Simon was Head of Government Relations for Swisse Wellness (part of the H&H Group), with responsibilities for Australia and New Zealand.
Simon has had an extensive career working in the government sector, at federal, state and territory levels, with business development roles in Australia and offshore.
He was Special Investment Advisor at Austrade for four years, helping to facilitate significant inward investment projects from markets such as China, Japan Western Europe and the US.
Previously, as Executive Director of Invest Victoria, Simon was responsible for leading a range of international development initiatives for the Victorian Government. These included attracting foreign direct investment to the State and facilitating export initiatives such as Super Trade Missions to India and China.
Simon has also held various positions in Canberra, for both the Federal and ACT Governments.
Brent has a background in writing for and editing newspapers both in New Zealand and Australia.
He has worked as an adviser/media director for a Cabinet Minister in the New Zealand Government, and is now a media consultant and adviser specialising in crisis management.
He has worked as an adviser/media director for a Cabinet Minister in the New Zealand Government, and is now a media consultant and adviser specialising in crisis management.
Members
Board Members
Associate Members
