RSPO - PROMOTING THE GROWTH AND USE OF SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL
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Secretariat

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Secretariat is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Secretariat is supported by the RSPO Indonesia Liaison Office (RILO), based in Jakarta.

The Secretariat and RILO are responsible for:

  • The day-to-day running of the RSPO
  • Organisation of RSPO Executive Board Meetings
  • Organisation and coordination of Roundtable meetings and General Assemblies
  • Recruitment of new members and service to members
  • RSPO project support
  • Coordination of Technical Groups (TG)
  • Communications
  • Networking with other organisations or institutions
  • Financial management

 

Kuala Lumpur

Rikke Jarvad Netterstrom

Interim Secretary General

Rikke Netterstrom is the interim Secretary General of the RSPO. She has been involved with the organisation since 2004 where she was appointed to the Executive Board representing the retail sector. Since her departure from the EB in 2007, she has continued to work closely with the palm oil sector as an Executive Director of CSR Asia, a KL-based advisory organisation.

She has  over 15 years' multi-sector experience in corporate responsibility strategy, stakeholder engagement and communications. She was responsible for environmental and social issues for two of the world’s sustainability leader - The Body Shop International plc and Novozymes A/S, preparing strategies for over 50 markets globally. She has worked extensively throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas, delivering workshops at Board and senior management level. She holds an MSc in International Business from Copenhagen Business School and postgraduate qualifications from Thammasat University, Thailand.

 

Sarala Aikanathan

Communications Officer

Sarala Aikanathan has joined the RSPO in July 09 as Communications Officer. She has about 20 years experience in the field of environmental conservation and has extensive experience in design and management of environmental projects in Malaysia, South East and East Asia, North Africa. Prior to this appointment, she was the Director of Wetlands International - Malaysia Office, a non-profit organization with a mission to sustain and restore wetlands, their resources and biodiversity for future generations. She is a qualified reef bio-technologist, and has been involved in reef restoration & propagation efforts in the waters of South-east Asia. She graduated with a Masters from the University of New Castle upon Tyne, England, and is presently a doctorate candidate at Universiti Malaya, Malaysia.

Email: sarala@rspo.org

Indra Thangavelu

Finance and Administration Manager

  

 

Siew Pei Erl

Membership Coordinator

Ms Siew Pei Erl joined the RSPO Secretariat in January 2010. She is engaged to handle all membership applications and assist in the accounts department. Apart from managing membership matters, she also coordinates and manages events for the organization. She possessed a Bachelor Degree in Education from The National University of Malaysia in 2001, and later completed her studies in Master of Business Administration with Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2007.

 

Email: pesiew@rspo.org 

 

Poon Chi Sim

Administrator and finance assistance

 

 

Chong Swee Tek

Certification coordinator

Chong Swee Teck has devoted his 30 years working career in MARDI, contributed significantly in developing the Malaysian Fruit Industry particularly in national fruit germplasm collection, multiplication and conservation. He also developed the cleft grafting technique of propagating mangosteen, ciku and durian. He obtained his PhD (Horticulture) from Washington State University, Pullman, USA and has published more than 40 scientific articles. In May 2008, he was engaged by RSPO as an Independent Observer for the Audit Certification Process of Sustainability of Sime Darby Oil Palm Estates and Mills in Tawau, Sabah. Since July 2009, he has been assisting the Secretary General of RSPO in certification related work.

 

Email: chong@rspo.org 

 

 

Ganapathy Ramasamy

Grievance Coordinator

Ganapathy Ramasamy coordinates grievance procedures on behalf of the RSPO Secretariat. He has previously worked for the Malaysian Ministry for Human Resources and in the palm oil industry, focusing on compliance and guidance on labour standards. He is the author of “discipline at work – a guide for managers”. He holds a BSc (Hons) in social science from USM Penang, and a post graduate diploma in labour studies from the University of Noth London.

 

Email: ganapathy@rspo.org 

 

 

Jakarta 

 

Desi Kusumadewi

RSPO Indonesia Liaison Officer 

 

 

Aisyah Mahdi

GHG Coordinator

 

 

Dr Asril Darussamin

Interim RSPO Indonesia Liaison Officer and Smallholder Affairs Coordinator

Asril Darussamin has been engaged with RSPO activities in 2004 as a member of the RSPO Criteria Working Group.  Since then he has been involved in RSPO related activities, as the Chairman of the Indonesia Smallholder Working Group, member of the Indonesian National Interpretation Working Group, and the HCV RSPO-Indonesia Working Group.  He used to be a research scientist in palm oil and rubber as well as in biotechnology for estate crops.  He holds an MSc in plant physiology (Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia) and PhD in biochemistry (Oregon State University, USA).

 Email: asril@rspo.org

 

Rahayu Siti Harjanthi

RILO Assistant

Rahayu Siti Harjanthi joined RSPO Indonesia Liaison Office as RILO Assistant in 2008. She graduated from University of Indonesia in 2007 with Bachelor Degree in Anthropology. She previously worked with Starbucks Coffee Company as a barista and Rainforest Alliance SmartWood Program as Chain-of-Custody Assistant. Rahayu is currently taking a Master Degree program of Conservation Biology in University of Indonesia.

Email: ayu@rspo.org

 

 

Gusti Seruni

Executive Support for RT8

Gusti Seruni joined RSPO Indonesia Liaison Office Indonesia as Executive Support for the 8th Roundtable Meeting (RT8) on Sustainable Palm Oil in 2010. She graduated from University of Indonesia in 2009 with a Bachelor Degree in Public Relations and a three-year Diploma in Broadcasting. She previously worked with Hotel Bidakara Jakarta as Public Relations Officer.

 

email: gusti@rspo.org