Dive Brief:
- Heineken, the third largest brewer in the world, will be making management alterations, with the departure of three top execs including chief marketing officer Alexis Nasard and the combination of certain senior offices as sales have disappointed.
- Heineken also revealed it would be getting rid of its central and Eastern European region, merging its Russia and Belarus divisions with Africa and the Middle East. Zywiec in Poland, in addition to "the faster-growing central European operations," will merge with western Europe, according to Fortune.
- Meanwhile, Heineken USA announced a new CEO, Ronald den Elzen, according to Progressive Grocer. This goes into effect July 1.
Dive Insight:
Fortune notes Heineken passed on an approach from SAB Miller six months ago that would have disrupted its family-controlled 150-year legacy.
According to Philip Gorham, a Morningstar analyst, Chris Barrow's leaving (the chief strategy officer) highlights "merger and acquisition opportunities are going to be bolt-on deals with local brewers in future rather than major transformational deals," reports Fortune.