Food & Beverages

Leon Skaliotis is the General Manager for Flavourtech and joined this Australian based technology company in 2005. After expanding the profile and sales in Western Europe Leon moved to the Australian head office in 2008 taking up the role of Global Sales and Marketing Director.

Flavourtech were NSW state winners at the Export Council Awards for the Manufacturing category in 2017 and 2018 and went on to win the National Manufacturing category in 2018. Additionally, Flavourtech were humble winners of the 2020 Premier’s NSW Export Councils Resilience program through what was a challenging year for the company. Last week Flavourtech were announced as Business of the Year for the Murray Riverina region by Business NSW.

Since 2010 Leon has helped develop Flavourtech’s business in India spending 3 months of every year visiting customers in various states and is happy discuss his findings and why India is a great place to conduct business with.

Dr. Varghese Jacob is the Managing Director of Synthite Industries Pvt. Ltd., one of the world’s largest producer of Value added spice extracts, spice powders, essential oils, Flavors & Fragrance with ventures in Hospitality, Realty and Wind Energy. Synthite has foot prints in India, China, Brazil, USA, Vietnam, Dubai and Sri Lanka. With over 2500 crores turn over, Synthite directly employees 3000 people and support farmer community of around 14000nos.

Dr. Varghese Jacob has Doctorate of Philosophy in Business Management with special relevance to the Essence of Spice from Colombo University in 2007.

• Served as ‘Vice Chairman of the Spices Board of India’ during the years 2010-11
• Advisor, ‘Member of CII’s Food & Agriculture Centre of Excellence’ 
• Represented ‘Indian Spice industry’ in CODEX meetings 
• Life time member of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC)
• Patron Member of the ‘Association of European Chamber of Commerce & Industry’
• Hon. Vice President – Indo Japan Chamber Of Commerce Kerala (INJACK)
• Executive Director-‘Karunya University’, Coimbatore.
• Executive Board Member- MOSC Medical College Hospital, Kolenchery
• Executive Member – St Peter’s Senior Secondary School Kadayirippu, Kolenchery
• Secretary-‘St Peter’s College’, Kolenchery, Ernakulam
• Member of ‘CII-South India Education Sub-Committee’
• Member of Managing Committee ‘Indo-American Chamber of Commerce’, Kerala
• Member of ‘Kerala Management Association’.
• Member of Advisory Committee on Sustainable Development (Theni Parliamentary Constituency); Member of Planning Group and Working Group on Agriculture & Food Processing

Professional Achievements  

Dr. Varghese Jacob joined his father’s business in 1984 and with his 35 years’ experience in the spice industry, today he is the torchbearer of India representing Indian Spice Industry to various global spice events and conferences. 

It was under his able leadership that Synthite ventured into Perfumery, Savory, Flavor, and Retail divisions. He set up a floral extraction plant in Tamilnadu, which is the backbone of the Indian cosmetic and perfume industry today.  This enabled the generation of employment to 1000 villagers in the vicinity of the unit.

Under his unmatched guidance, Organized Marigold cultivation was introduced in India by Synthite in a systematic way on a commercial scale which has resulted in the generation of employment for over 14000 farmers. This has helped indirect labour to 250000 workers. Besides the co-generation of electricity and steam by its agro-waste as fuel, he established wind farms in Tamil Nadu for exploiting non-conventional wind energy for power generation.

With his initiative, Synthite plunged into the hospitality industry by establishing a tourist resort which boasts of its 5-star deluxe recognition today and another apartment hotel, both in Cochin. 

Under his leadership, Synthite is today one of the leading business corporations in Kerala with an annual turnover of over Rs. 2000 crores.

Awards and Recognitions

• Received the ‘Global Business Award’ for the year 2003 organized by Global Malayalee Council, for his outstanding contributions towards the business, society and the empowerment of Malayalees throughout the World.
• Received the ‘Udyog Rattan Award’ instituted by the Institute of Economic Studies, Delhi for outstanding performance in the field of industrial development in the country. 
• On June 15, 2012, Dr. Varghese Jacob won the ‘National Leadership Excellence Award for Business Development’ conferred on by Global Achievers’ Foundation (GAF) for outstanding individual achievements and distinguished services to the nation.  The award was presented by the then High Commissioner of Seychelles.  
• Ramada by Wyndham Kochi Resorts, under the stewardship of Dr. Varghese Jacob, bagged ‘Emerging Hospitality Brand’ award at the Kerala State Business Excellence Awards 2012 ceremony, organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
• ‘Dhanam’ magazine has adjudged the “Business Man of the Year 2018” award to Dr. Varghese Jacob in the 13^th Dhanam Business Summit & Award Night held in June 2019. This award is based on the contributions made to the Business and Society.
• ‘MediaOne’ channel has recognized Dr. Varghese Jacob with the “Business Man of the Year 2019” award for excellence in Kerala based or Malayali run business firms in the world. The award was presented by Honourable Governor of Kerala, Mr. Arif Mohammad Khan on 7^th November 2019.  
• Synthite Industries, under the able management of Dr. Varghese Jacob, was recognized as the ‘Top Exporter of Cochin’ for the year 2019, and awarded as the ‘Best Assessee – 100% Export Oriented Unit’ for the year 2019-20, by the Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue.