Our Team
FRANK
CONSULTANT
Frank is one of the pioneering founders of the Indian sandalwood plantation industry in Australia. The fourth generation in his family to work in Australian forestry, Frank’s involvement and experience in the industry goes back to the very first commercial plantings in Kununurra in the 1990s.
Dr. H.S.Ananthapadmanabha
CONSULTANT
Dr. H.S.Ananthapadmanabha, has served as senior scientist at the Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bangalore (Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, India) from 1964 to 1998. He was responsible for guiding research projects on sandalwood and other forestry species, on nursery techniques, diagnosis of diseases and management of pests and affecting sandalwood and forestry tree species. He is an author of many books and published more than 150 articles both in Indian and International journals. He has received number of awards for his distinguish work on sandalwood by many organizations.
He was a consultant to Department of Conservation and Management (CALM) and Forest Products Commission (FPC Government of Western Australia, from 1998 to 2002. He was a consultant to Tropical Forestry Services (TFS) Western Australia from 2002 to 2020.At present he is consulting, Green Acre Ventures Sri Lanka, Shre Shyam Holdings, Thailand, Carbon Planet (Tanzania) and Honorary Consultant to Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd Bangalore. He is providing guidance to farmers, corporate bodies and NGO’s for promoting sandalwood plantations.
BEN WILSON
DIRECTOR
Ben’s family are pioneers of sustainable Indian sandalwood industry in Australia. They own and operate Indian sandalwood farms across the far north of the continent.
Ben has more than ten years’ professional experience spanning agribusiness, sustainability, investment banking, and funds management. His expertise and experience in sustainability, working directly with companies to minimise their environmental impact is strong asset to Copperhead as we strive to do the best by our natural environment and the communities we work in
MIKE
DIRECTOR
Mike is currently the CFO for a Private Investment Office with interests covering Energy, Resources and Real Estate.
Mike commenced his career at KPMG, and during his six-year tenure became a leading tax consultant in the energy and natural resources space, with a particular focus on Chinese and Japanese national corporations. In 2014, Michael joined brother Daniel as a director of accounting and advisory firm Danpalo Group, servicing both listed and unlisted entities.
Mike has played a key role in driving the growth of the Copperhead and Heartwood businesses.
SAMUDRA
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Having grown up in Northern Australia, Samudra is right at home in our Indian sandalwood plantations. A Licensed Surveyor with a background in farming, mining, and construction – whether it’s from the boardroom, factory or plantation – Samudra keeps Copperhead running like a well-oiled machine.
cameron
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Whilst no stranger to our verdant Indian sandalwood landscapes, Cameron’s expertise lies in making sure Copperhead’s systems remain sharp and agile in the ever-changing digital landscape. With 20 years of industry experience, Cameron is bringing modern tech and Indian sandalwood to an exciting new intersection.
SHANE
CHIEF PROCESS OFFICER
An avid explorer of nature and the great outdoors, Shane is a perfect match for our sprawling sandalwood plantations. With 20 years of experience delivering resource & renewable projects, including 10 years running his own consultancy, Shane keeps Copperhead’s environmental objectives and product quality at the cutting edge.
GREG
NATIONAL OPERATIONS MANAGER
With 40 years of experience in the agricultural industry, Greg was a leading figure in the establishment and maintenance of Australia’s first Indian sandalwood plantations along with Copperhead founder, Frank Wilson. Following the success of the plantation, he supervised the construction of the first large scale Indian sandalwood seedling nursery in Kununurra in 2001.
Under Greg’s attention to detail, Copperhead’s staff management and training is held to the highest standard.
KRISTY
SALES MANAGER – EUROPE, USA, JAPAN & INDIA
Bringing to the Copperhead team an intimate knowledge of the beauty and fragrance industries, Kristy understands the bespoke requirements of each and every client. Having previously worked for over ten years as the Education Manager for Mecca’s Brands, you can be rest assured that Kristy can bring the beauty of Indian sandalwood to life within your products.
JIM
SALES MANAGER – MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA & SOUTH EAST ASIA
With 30 years of experience in the sale of luxury goods from all over the world, Najim understands how to sate expensive tastes, from beauty and fragrance to worship. A fluent Arabic speaker, Najim brings to the Copperhead team an intimate cultural and business knowledge of the Middle Eastern Market.
CARLA
MARKETING ASSISTANT
Carla is our youngest and brightest team member, keeping Copperhead running like clock-work and managing our marketing initiatives at home and abroad. She has a Degree in Commerce with a double Major in Marketing and Communications from the University of Western Australia.