Priya Lakshmanan is the Chief Strategy & Optimisation Officer of JCL Holdings, following her promotion from Chief Operating Officer. In her current Group-level role, she works closely with the Group Managing Director to support the development and execution of strategic priorities, strengthen business performance and lead optimisation initiatives across the organisation.
Her responsibilities include analysing operational and commercial performance, identifying risks and opportunities, developing improvement plans and enabling better decision-making through clear and structured insight. She also supports the preparation and coordination of tenders, operational methodologies, implementation plans and strategic projects across the Group.
Priya continues to lead the digital transformation of operations, working with management teams, operational departments and software developers to build integrated, system-driven processes. Her focus is on improving data accuracy, production planning, traceability, transparency, accountability and performance measurement. She ensures that digital systems are designed around real operational requirements and contribute directly to efficiency and better control.
Priya has more than a decade of international experience in hospitality, food and beverage manufacturing, technical management, production and operations across the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Malta. Her experience in the UK provided her with a strong foundation in hospitality operations, customer service and business management, which later supported her move into senior operational and technical leadership roles.
In Dubai, Priya served as Vice President — Technical & Production at Fit Fresh, where she developed and implemented strategic plans for the technical and production departments. She led the implementation of internationally recognised food-safety and quality standards, including BRC Issues 7 and 8, FSSC 22000 Issues 4 and 5, SQMS, SWA and RBI. Her responsibilities included production performance, technical compliance, food safety, process improvement and cross-functional coordination.
Priya also headed operations for Carrefour’s first central production unit under Majid Al Futtaim in Dubai. She managed centralised production activities and worked closely with software-development teams to tailor the ERP system to the needs of the operation. These improvements enhanced production planning, data collection, inventory visibility, traceability and performance control. Her key focus areas included service-level achievement, gross-profit management, operational efficiency, waste control and customer satisfaction.
Since relocating to Malta in 2022, Priya has played a key role in strengthening The Food Factory’s operational, technical and digital capabilities. Her work has included international certification readiness, production-flow improvement, mass-production planning, cost optimisation, KPI development, systems implementation and operational digitalisation. She has also contributed to product shelf-life study and preservation initiatives, including High Pressure Processing systems.
Priya holds a Master of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Sheffield Hallam University in the United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Science in Catering and Hotel Management from Bharathiar University in India.
Her career combines hands-on operational leadership with strategy, transformation and performance optimisation. As Chief Strategy & Optimisation Officer, she remains focused on improving organisational effectiveness, modernising operations, supporting sustainable growth and working alongside the Group Managing Director to deliver JCL Holdings’ long-term objectives.