For millions of people, pets are more than just animals – they’re family. This emotional bond, filled to the brim with love and loyalty, is what drives Germaine Chua, Group CEO of Real Pet Food (RPF).
“People love their fur babies. Their pets are so important to them. And for me, it’s such a privilege to be a part of that,” she tells The CEO Magazine.
Leading with purpose
In her nearly three decades of leadership across fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), Chua has worked in industries that have touched lives. But none, she says, have been as full of purpose as her work in pet nutrition.
“To me, when I think about FMCG, which I’ve been involved in for most of my career, I couldn’t think of a category that is more meaningful. At RPF, I’m actually able to make a difference in someone else’s life,” she says, before sharing an analogy.
“I always compare pets to babies. My daughter is 11, and as she grows, she starts looking for independence. But with pets – as they age, the connection and relationship with their owners remain much the same. Unlike preteens and teenagers, they’re always happy to see us.”
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Since joining RPF in 2015, Chua has been on a mission to transform the pet food industry. With unwavering commitment, she aims to make RPF a leader in fresh, minimally processed pet nutrition – improving pets’ lives and, by extension, their owners’.
“At RPF, our focus on fresh pet food is guiding us toward becoming the leader in fresher nutrition in Asia–Pacific,” Chua says. “I’m passionate about continuing to develop RPF’s portfolio, simplifying it to focus on our global icons that deliver unique consumer propositions.”
Back to basics
Chua’s leadership style is built on authenticity and passion – qualities that were especially crucial during business turnaround.
“Authenticity is the foundation of my leadership style,” she reveals. “People recognize and trust authenticity. It builds credibility, fosters connections and inspires teams to take action.”
Combined with her passion for pets, people and RPF’s purpose that transforms lives, Chua led the company through the harsh grips of the turnaround mandate post-pandemic by bringing everyone together under a shared vision and purpose.
“To make this business turn around, we had to take a good look at ourselves. And in doing that, it became clear – we had to go back to basics. It wasn’t about expansion growth,” she explains, which, as Chief Growth Officer at the time, couldn’t have been easy to admit.
“It was about focusing on what we were good at and having the discipline to do the back-to-basic stuff to stay afloat.
“During the good times, people want to do the sexy stuff. But we took it back to basic principles, like how we were running our factories, nailing down the right schedule, making quality products and ensuring the right ingredients for our products were showing up so we could deliver the right product range and pricing to our consumers.
“So while it sounds boring, it was our bread and butter.”
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It paid off. Not only did RPF survive the crisis, it thrived, becoming resilient. And Chua’s steady leadership during this trying time was remembered, helping her earn a place at the helm.
Turning the ship around
When Chua stepped into the role of Group CEO in 2023, she knew the company still had work to do.
“The board hadn’t convened in person for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, financial performance was below target and trust between stakeholders was strained,” she explains.
“I knew rebuilding trust and uniting the team would be essential for driving the company forward.”
So that’s exactly what she did – starting with one-on-one meetings with board members and their teams, identifying shared goals and aligning on a common vision.
“This process, which took six months, involved transparent communication and a commitment to putting bad news ahead of good news,” Chua reveals.
“I facilitated group meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were informed and included. And through these efforts, I restored trust and unity within the board and management team. Eighteen months later, the shareholders are more aligned than ever, and we are working together toward RPF’s long-term vision.”
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In addition to internal communications, Chua implemented several programs intended to strengthen engagement across RPF’s global team.
“We started holding monthly town halls and quarterly roadshows. And the executive team has an open-door policy. These initiatives have fostered a culture of transparency, collaboration and empowerment.”
Her advice for leaders facing similar challenges? She keeps it simple, saying there are three steps to turn around a company. The first? Simplify – go back to what you do well, and do it really well, strengthening the core.
The next is focused growth, so invest in regions where you’re already strong. And finally, do what will fundamentally make a difference. It’s easy to say yes to everything, but it’s not as easy to say no.
Responsible growth
Now, under Chua’s leadership and with a strong foundation in place, RPF is experiencing significant growth.
“We are by far the largest fresh pet food manufacturer in the southern hemisphere in Asia–Pacific,” she says.
“As consumers increasingly seek fresher, more sustainable products, I am particularly inspired by the opportunity to shape the future of pet nutrition by advancing fresher, more nutritious offerings for pets that also contribute to the health and happiness of their owners.”
She sees consumer education as a key part of RPF’s mission.
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“We know for humans, eating less processed food and more organic food is good for our bodies,” Chua points out. “Now, it’s time to provide scientific evidence as to why fresh pet food is best.
“After all, people just want their fur babies to live better, healthier and longer. We owe it to the consumer to do this because we are the leading pet food manufacturer and to me, that’s our responsibility.”
Carving her own path
As a first-generation Malaysian immigrant, Chua has spent her career breaking barriers.
“If you look at my background, you wouldn’t imagine I’d be doing what I’m doing today,” she reflects. “But my mind has no limits, and I believe people can be whoever they want to be. They just have to give it a crack.”
Navigating boardrooms where she didn’t look like anyone else, industries where she wasn’t the typical leader and personal sacrifices made in the name of ambition and family, Chua never let fear hold her back.
“I didn’t look like others in the boardroom, being a female of my age with a different skin color. But I had no fear. Instead, I had passion and drive,” she details.
Reflecting on her younger self, Chua is reminded of the pressures women all too often face in the business world, especially when their career begins to take off.
“Often women think they need to get 110 percent done before they push the button to move forward,” she says.
“While it’s good to be prepared, sometimes, 75 percent is good enough. So my advice is to give it a go and back yourself, because no-one will ever know whether we’re at 110 percent or 75 percent anyway.”
And as for work–life balance, Chua says, it’s a myth.
“It doesn’t exist,” she says with a chuckle, offering the term ‘work–life integration’ as a worthy replacement. “Instead, prioritize what is most important at that point in time. That’s a lesson I learned at a very young age, before I even had my daughter.
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“A female partner at a Big Four firm shared a story with me about how she had a very important pitch scheduled at the same time as her daughter’s graduation. And she chose to leave halfway through the pitch, expressing that in 10 years, they wouldn’t even remember what she was pitching, but her daughter would definitely remember if she missed her graduation. It’s true.”
Finding her perfect ‘integration’ looks different every day, but whether Chua’s smashing it at work or at home, one thing always seems to remain: mom guilt. “My dad has passed, so I look after mom, and I have Genevieve, my little one who’s 11,” she explains.
“And as much as possible, I’m present for them. I take her to school, and I take my mom to her medical appointments. I organize work around it. Having said that, I typically have to work extra hard afterwards to catch up, but that’s fine. Those are my values. And I’ve already resigned myself to the fact that I’m going to feel guilty one way or the other.”
A fresher future
Looking ahead, Chua is optimistic about what’s next for the industry, which is already worth billions of dollars in Australia alone.
“The future of the pet food industry excites me because of its potential to innovate, create positive social impact and adapt to changing consumer needs,” she says, beaming.
“This fresher movement, as we call it, is one that we want the consumer to join us in. We want all the people passionate about this category to join in and make a difference. To me, that’s what a fresher future is all about.”
At RPF, this means fostering a culture of innovation, inclusivity and sustainability.
“I love innovation. I love pushing the envelope,” she says. “We’re always asking ourselves what we can do better for the consumer. How can we make our pet food even more nutritious?
“Day in and day out, we’re trying to make a difference. And we are – I get handwritten letters from people about how our products are making a difference in their pets’ lives. I love getting these letters.
“Sometimes we forget because we manufacture tons and tons of products. But then we get a letter from a consumer somewhere telling us we’ve made a difference. That’s what keeps me wanting to come into work every day.”
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Through purpose-driven leadership, Chua is helping to shape the future of pet nutrition – one fresh step at a time.
“It doesn’t matter where you come from, who you are or what your background is,” she says.
“Don’t ever let what happened in the past stop you from going forward. Just imagine what you can be in the future.”
