RSPO Board of Governors Appoints Non-Independent Members of the Executive Committee

Kuala Lumpur, 7 September 2026: The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Board of Governors is pleased to announce the appointments of Caroline Westerik-Sikking, Harry Brock, and Dr John Watts as the Non-Independent Members of the new RSPO Executive Committee (ExCo), with effect from 7 September 2026. 

Caroline brings her expertise as an experienced sustainability leader, with specialisation in responsible sourcing, sustainable supply chains, and integrating sustainability into core business strategy. As AAK’s Director of Sustainability, she leads AAK’s global sustainability strategy and sustainable sourcing strategies including palm, overseeing the implementation programmes that embed environmental and social responsibility across the organisation.

“I am deeply honoured to serve in the newly formed Executive Committee of the RSPO, which represents an exciting milestone in the organisation’s dynamic growth and increasing operational scale, “ said Caroline. “I am grateful to the Board of Governors for their confidence in me, and I look forward to working collaboratively to enhance RSPO’s mandate and advance our work programme in transforming such a crucial commodity sector.” 

Harry Brock has been a longstanding advocate for sustainable palm oil production from the early days of RSPO, with extensive experience across the international palm oil industry providing a practical perspective spanning plantation management, processing, research and development, and smallholder production. Harry is Chief Executive Officer of Univanich Palm Oil Public Company, one of Thailand’s leading and long- established palm oil producers. His experience in Thailand provides particular insight into sustainable palm oil production in a sector where the majority of production is driven by smallholders. 

Dr John Watts brings twenty years of experience in Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Sourcing, and Agri-food Systems in non-profits, research, education and government. His work also has a strong focus on protecting the rights and wellbeing of rural and Indigenous communities and workers in commodity supply chains. He is co-founder and Chief Technical Advisor of Yayasan Lembaga Penelitian Kaleka Indonesia (Kaleka), Indonesia’s leading non-profit focused on sustainable agrifood systems and rural bioeconomies. 

Harry said, “Joining the Executive Committee at this dynamic stage of RSPO is a great privilege. I look forward to working with my fellow members to ensure the key areas of RSPO’s work actively advance its mission to transform the global palm oil sector sustainably.” 

“The newly created Executive Committee is an opportunity to improve the governance of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil so that the rights and wellbeing of smallholders, workers and Indigenous communities are protected, and we can more effectively protect and restore nature in commodity producing landscapes,” said John Watts. 

Specialised expertise

Following the RSPO Board of Governors (BoG) meeting on 9 September 2025, the Board confirmed its endorsement and support for advancing the proposed amendments to the RSPO Statutes to introduce a new Executive Committee (ExCo) into RSPO’s governance structure. 

The formation of the ExCo marks a major step forward towards a future-focused governance structure, aligning RSPO with global best practices and ensuring that it remains effective, transparent and relevant. Reporting to the BoG, the ExCo will manage operational oversight and accountability with specialised expertise in key areas of RSPO’s work, including finance, digital transformation, and technology.

The Co-Chairs of the RSPO Board of Governors (BoG), José Roberto Montenegro Baide and Anne Rosenbarger stated: “We have full confidence in our newly appointed Non-Independent Members on the Executive Committee to draw on their tailored expertise and diverse perspectives in driving cross-sector sustainability strategies. Their combined insight will  help steer the RSPO global partnership’s evolution, especially amidst an increasingly demanding global sustainability landscape.”