SABMiller to appoint Managing Director: Asia

SABMiller announces that it will appoint Harald Harvey, currently SAB Ltd Executive Director: Strategy and Business Support, as Managing Director Asia, with effect from 1 February 2012.

Harald will oversee SABMiller’s businesses in India and Vietnam, its ongoing regional business development and export operations, as well as providing support to CR Snow. He will be based at the SABMiller Asia regional hub office in Hong Kong, and report to Ari Mervis, Managing Director: Asia Pacific and Chief Executive Officer of Foster’s.

Since joining SAB Ltd in 2009, Harald has been responsible for corporate strategy, pricing and revenue management, as well as legal services and compliance. He played a key role in the implementation of the company’s BBBEE scheme – SAB Zenzele.

Prior to SAB, Harald spent nearly a decade as Senior Partner and Managing Director Africa at Monitor Group, a leading global strategy consulting firm, where he worked with a diverse group of businesses, including leading consumer goods and beverages companies, to develop and implement growth strategies and to build commercial and competitive capabilities. Harald also advised multiple clients on issues of social, economic and environmental sustainability and corporate citizenship.

Prior to joining Monitor, Harald served a period as Deputy Director-General of South Africa’s National Department of Transport during the early years following the democratic transition.

Commenting on the appointment Ari Mervis, Managing Director: Asia Pacific and Chief Executive Officer of Foster’s said

“Harald has developed a deep commercial understanding of the beer industry, and has played a key role in developing and executing the strategy that put SAB back onto its current growth trajectory.

“This together with his unique blend of FMCG knowledge, gained through his time leading Monitor as it grew across Africa and The Middle East, and experience and capability in dealing with complex, multi-stakeholder settings from his work in Government and the public sector, make him well suited to this new role in Asia”.