Paradise Group appoints Penrose as new chief executive

Business
Michael Penrose

MICHAEL Penrose has been appointed as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of Paradise Group of companies (Paradise).
Paradise chairman Anthony Smare said Penrose had been selected as the best candidate by the board among a list of candidates vetted by a human resource firm.
He said Penrose was the first Papua New Guinean CEO of the company in its 90-year history.
Penrose will start his new role on Jan 3, 2022, taking over from interim CEO, Ben Wong who will revert to his substantive role as chief financial officer.
The Paradise group includes Paradise Foods Ltd, Laga Industries and the Queen Emma chocolate company.
The group employs over 1,300 employees, and has one manufacturing plant in Port Moresby and two in Lae, and a sales presence in all 22 provinces.
Penrose has experience in the fast-moving consumer goods sector, with over 28 years of experience in PNG, Fiji and New Zealand.
He was previously the general manager of British American Tobacco PNG for five years and BAT Fiji for three years.
“Michael’s key focus will be to continue to grow and expand the business through innovative strategies to build on Paradise’s core strengths, strong brands, development of Paradise’s national staff and leveraging synergies to develop capability and improve operating efficiencies to support growth,” he said.
“It will include continuing the strong sales growth of Paradise’s products as well as overseeing the completion of Paradise’s construction of its new national distribution centre and the expansion of its production facilities in Lae.”