Brownes Dairy has appointed a female chief executive officer for the first time in its 135-year history.
Natalie Sarich-Dayton was previously the company's sales and marketing director.
"Brownes Dairy is a remarkable company with a thirst for product and brand innovation," Ms Sarich-Dayton said.
"Everyone in the business genuinely believes in our mission of 'doing dairy better, together', and I'm excited to take the reins as CEO and continue our tradition of nourishing Australian families with the best range of high-quality dairy products."
With two decades of experience in the international food and beverage industry, Ms Sarich-Dayton was a driving force behind Brownes Dairy's return of the iconic 'Milkos' home delivery service, which became a lifeline to the WA community during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The service won national and international accolades, including a Gold trophy in the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, as well as Social Idea of the Year in the annual Mumbrella Awards, and "best COVID Pivot" by the Australian Financial Review.
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Her appointment comes after long-serving CEO Tony Girgis steps down from the role after navigating the company through an ownership change and championing the return of traditional cheddar cheese to West Australian supermarkets for the first time in 14 years.
Ms Sarich-Dayton was born and educated in the Perth Hills of WA before graduating from the University of Western Australia.
She then carved out a career in sales, marketing and management spanning more than 20 years, working for some of the world's top international food and beverage companies in Australia and overseas, including Coca-Cola Amatil, HJ Heinz, Danone and Unilever.
"It's crucial WA business take a leading role in promoting more women to leadership positions, and I'm honoured that Brownes has entrusted me with this vital role," Ms Sarich-Dayton said.
"The pandemic has reminded us about the role we all can play in keeping our communities, including our businesses, authentically connected."
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