Andrew boasts over two decades of expertise in the complementary medicine and pharmaceutical industries and is currently the accomplished Managing Director for Vita Life Sciences, a prominent entity listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. As the head of this multinational healthcare company, Andrew orchestrates formulating and distributing a diverse range of vitamins and supplements, including renowned brands like Herbs of Gold and VitaHealth, across Australia and Southeast Asia.
His illustrious career includes a notable stint as the CEO of Go Vita Distributors, the largest health food distributor and retailer in Australia. Prior roles encompass a five-year tenure as Blackmores State Manager and a decade-long dedication to senior management and operational positions at Sigma Pharmaceuticals. Andrew brings extensive national and international experience in sales, marketing, and distribution, consistently steering robust business performances. His leadership is characterised by an inclusive and performance-driven management style, marking him as a stalwart figure in the industry.
Dr Michael is the Managing Director and owner of Bio Concepts. With scientific prowess and a passion for the industry, Dr Michael is at the forefront of education in nutritional medicine.
Michael was awarded the inaugural CMA Young Achiever of the Year in 2021, representing a person under 35 with outstanding contributions and vision to the complementary medicine industry.
PhD, BBE (Chemical), BBiotech (Hons)
John commenced as CEO of Complementary Medicines Australia in July 2023. He is an experienced business leader, with a wealth of experience across Public Affairs, Government Relations, Corporate Affairs, media communications, and law, finance and governance.
John is passionate about natural health and has worked in the complementary medicines sector since 2018, including as a CMA Board Director since early 2020. He has served as the Chair of the CMA Political Committee, showcasing his strong advocacy capabilities and commitment to advancing the interests of the sector.
John was previously Head of Public Affairs at Blackmores Group and has served in a Senior Adviser capacity for the Australian Government across the Health, Industry/Innovation/Science and Environment portfolios.
Prior to this, John worked in media and financial consulting. He has a Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Laws, Graduate Diploma in Journalism, Diploma of Financial Services and a Graduate Certificate of Applied Corporate Governance and Risk Management.
John is a graduate of the Governance Institute of Australia and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
Ann is a complementary healthcare specialist with broad experience spanning 37 years. She is CEO of Go Vita Group Limited – Australia’s premier health food retail chain – a well-established co-operative owned by its members and celebrating close to 40 years of operation.
Ann is committed to delivering innovative strategies and initiatives that continue to drive Go Vita’s growth and enhance its position in the market. With her strong academic background in biochemistry, nutritional medicine and marketing and deep understanding of the natural health industry, she has bridged the gap between science and business, making her a unique asset in the health and wellness industry. Her strategic approach is rooted in evidence-based practices, ensuring Go Vita remains at the forefront of industry developments and trends. A passionate contributor to the industry, she was awarded the Lady Cilento Award for outstanding contributions and service in 2010.
Dr Aniss G. E. Chami, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Vitex Pharmaceuticals is widely regarded as an industry leader with unrivalled experience and qualifications. Under Dr. Chami’s leadership, Vitex has become a leading Australian manufacturer of high-quality complementary medicines.
Dr. Chami graduated from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours (B Med Sci (Hon)). He went on to complete his Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) at the University of Sydney and his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at the prestigious Sydney School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame. Dr. Chami also holds a Master’s degree in Financial Management (MFM) and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the world-renowned Macquarie Graduate School of Management.
With a remarkable list of credentials, Dr. Chami is also one of the youngest CEOs in the industry. Nonetheless, he is considered one of the most experienced, having been immersed in the industry from an early age under the tutelage of his father, Vitex Chairman Elie Chami. He was named Manufacturing Executive of the Year in 2017 and 2018 by CEO Magazine and received the 2019 Corporate Citizen of the Year Award from Blacktown City Council.
Dr. Chami currently serves as a Board Director of Consumer Health Products (CHP) Australia, the peak body representing the manufacturers and distributors of consumer healthcare products. He is also a Board Director of the Complementary Medicines Association of Australia (CMA).
In 2018, Dr. Chami signed an agreement with the NSW Government for a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical training and research institute at the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. The Institute will be the first in Australia to offer dedicated training in pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical process engineering. Having established one of the few Australian-owned manufacturing organizations in complementary medicine, Dr. Chami is passionate about Australian-made products. He has created a culture and international reputation for innovative quality systems underscored by an entrepreneurial spirit. Above all, he has demonstrated that profitability and integrity can go hand in hand.
Wayne Coote, Founder and Managing Director of Pathway International, has dedicated over 30 years to advancing the complementary medicines industry. Since establishing Pathway International in 1995, Wayne has built a business specialising in scientifically validated, natural ingredients that promote health and wellness. Under his leadership, Pathway has pioneered new healthcare categories, achieving TGA approvals for novel ingredients backed by clinical research, setting benchmarks for quality, safety, and service across diverse sectors, including complementary medicines, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.
Wayne brings previous CMA Board experience, having served during the transition from CHC, giving him a unique perspective on the organisation’s evolution. His expertise in international sourcing, supply chain management, and regulatory approvals underscore his commitment to maintaining rigorous product standards. Passionate about innovation and integrity, Wayne looks forward to leveraging his extensive industry knowledge to contribute to CMA’s mission of fostering sustainable growth, quality assurance, and consumer trust.
Natasha Flynn is an accomplished business leader with nearly 30 years of experience in the complementary medicines industry. As Business Development Manager at Lavida Pharmaceuticals, she collaborates with leading brands to deliver innovative manufacturing solutions, foster enduring client partnerships, and drive strategic growth.
With a foundation as a qualified herbalist, Natasha brings a unique blend of scientific understanding and natural health expertise to her role, ensuring a balance of innovation, quality, and sustainability in product development.
In addition to her role at Lavida, Natasha serves as a Board Director at Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA), where she contributes her industry knowledge and passion for advancing the sector to support the growth, regulation, and integrity of complementary medicines in Australia.
Her professional journey reflects collaboration, innovation, business strategy, and commitment to the complementary medicines industry.
Zephanie has worked in the Consumer Healthcare industry for more than 25 years in Australia and overseas. She has experience leading and balancing regulatory compliance, innovation and policy influence in healthcare, food, cosmetic and chemical companies.
She has worked for RB, J&J, GSK, Boots Healthcare, Faulding and P&G. She has also worked for ASMI (now CHPA) as Scientific Director and it was during this time that she collaborated with the former Complementary Healthcare Council (CHC) on a range of issues. In 2004-5, she was an independent consultant and was contracted by the TGA to work on the Complementary Medicines Evidence Guidelines. Zephanie holds qualifications in Food Science, Pharmaceutical Science and Wine Science.
She is an advocate for self-care, championing policy reform to drive proportionate regulation and incentives for innovation.
Nick is one of three Co-Global CEOs of the H&H Group and CEO for the H&H Group in ANZ and ASIA. Listed in Hong Kong, the H&H Group owns the Swisse and Biostime brands (amongst others).
Prior to assuming his current role of Group CEO in December 2023, Nick became CEO of Swisse ANZ in September 2019 (and then subsequently + ASIA in 2021) having joined Swisse in September 2017 as the Sales Director for Australia and New Zealand. During his tenure as CEO for ANZ + ASIA Nick has overseen rapid international expansion of the Swisse brand and significant revenue growth.
Over a 20+ year span prior to joining the Group, Nick worked in a variety of CEO, MD, sales, marketing, and general management roles across CPG, Technology and Beverage Alcohol categories for firms such as Gillette, Motorola, Foster’s Group and Treasury Wine Estates.
Mr. Mann obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from The University of Melbourne in 1995.
Nick lives in Melbourne and works from Swisse’s Collingwood office.
Blair Norfolk, Founder and Managing Director of Biome Australia, is a seasoned leader in the global nutraceutical and probiotics industry, with over 14 years of experience spanning management and executive roles. Under his leadership, Biome Australia has become a high-growth, values-driven company specialising in evidence-based probiotics, with its flagship brand, Activated Probiotics, recognised for innovative, clinically validated products regulated by TGA, EFSA, and FSANZ.
Blair has been instrumental in facilitating novel clinical trials for disease-targeted probiotics, fostering collaborations between Australian universities and manufacturing partners to advance the body of evidence supporting complementary medicines. A passionate advocate for education and transparency, he has championed initiatives to expand practitioner knowledge and improve patient outcomes.
With a strong focus on innovation, regulatory balance, and sustainability, Blair aims to leverage his global expertise and extensive network to support CMA’s mission of strengthening the industry and advancing the integration of complementary medicines into preventive health strategies.
Ross Norris is General Manager – APAC at Aker BioMarine. He brings a wealth of experience across the nutraceutical, agricultural, ingredients and manufacturing landscape, with over 16 years in the complementary medicines industry. Before joining Aker BioMarine in 2023, Ross was General Manager at Australian Native Products, where he led global efforts to bring native ingredients like lemon myrtle to international markets. He has also held senior leadership roles at TSI Pharmaceuticals, Homart Pharmaceuticals, Lipa Pharmaceuticals, and Planet Health, giving him deep cross-sector insights.
With a background in science and an MBA, Ross’s career has spanned everything from craft brewing to FMCG innovation management, natural ingredient commercialisation, and executive leadership. He is passionate about team development, sustainable growth, and strengthening the value of Australia’s natural health sector globally.
Alastair is the Group CEO and Managing Director of Blackmores Group, having joined in 2019. Alastair is a global business leader and brand builder with over +25 years in consumer health and beauty across multiple geographies. Alastair has held global leadership roles across China, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East.
Alastair has a Bachelor of Economics and a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Business from Monash University and studied Mandarin while living and working in Shanghai. Being CEO of a company rooted in the foundations of naturopathy, Alastair is very passionate about the role traditional and complementary medicines play in providing holistic health solutions to people worldwide.
Alastair is a proud member of the Climate Leaders Coalition, reflecting Blackmore’s ambition for a world where people and nature thrive together.
Alastair is based in Sydney, Australia.
