HEINEKEN renews Executive Committee composition and responsibilities

Heineken N.V. (‘HEINEKEN’) today announced changes to its top management structure and the composition of its Executive Committee. The changes follow the recent acquisition of Asia Pacific Breweries and will ensure the Company is able to maintain the positive momentum behind its strategy and long term growth objectives.

• Effective 1 April 2013, the role of Chief Commercial Officer will cease to exist and the marketing and sales elements of the role will be split. Two new combined roles will be created and form part of the Executive Committee:
  * President Western Europe & Chief Marketing Officer;
  * President Central and Eastern Europe & Chief Sales Officer.
• Alexis Nasard, currently Chief Commercial Officer, has been appointed President Western Europe & Chief Marketing Officer. Didier Debrosse, currently Regional President Western Europe, will take up a new challenge as Managing Director HEINEKEN Brasil. Alongside responsibility for Western European operating companies, Alexis will also retain direct responsibility for the Heineken® brand and Innovation. A new role of Executive Director Marketing, leading the rest of the marketing agenda will also report to Alexis.
• Jan Derck van Karnebeek, currently Regional President Central and Eastern Europe, has been appointed President Central and Eastern Europe & Chief Sales Officer. In this role, Jan Derck will assume additional responsibility for global sales capability building and planning.
• Stefan Orlowski, currently Managing Director HEINEKEN UK will re-join the HEINEKEN Executive Committee and succeed John Nicolson as President Americas when John retires in July.
• Roland Pirmez, CEO of Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) will retain this role and combine it with that of President Asia Pacific. Roland will join the Executive Committee. All existing HEINEKEN operations in Asia will be integrated within the APB organisation to create a single regional platform.
• Theo de Rond, currently Regional President Asia Pacific, will leave his current role on the HEINEKEN Executive Committee and return to Amsterdam in June 2013 following the successful integration of APB. In his new role, as Executive Director, Partnerships, Theo will continue to represent HEINEKEN on the boards of businesses in Thailand, Indonesia, Japan and Vietnam.

Commenting on these changes, Jean-François van Boxmeer, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Heineken N.V. said, “Looking to the future, these significant changes will ensure that we have the people, structures and processes in place to realise our long-term growth objectives. I would like to congratulate Alexis, Jan Derck, Stefan and Roland on their new roles.

Each has driven growth in their respective area of responsibility and each has demonstrated the leadership and technical skills needed to consistently win in the marketplace. Their understanding of and passion for the business coupled with their professional expertise will be critical to meeting the market challenges of the next few years.”

Jean-François van Boxmeer continued, “Equally important, I would like to thank Didier, John and Theo for their significant contribution to the growth and transformation of our business. Since 2005, Didier has ensured that Western Europe has played a major role in overall company growth. In that time, our EBIT (beia) in Western Europe has grown on average 8% per annum and the region has been the “engine” of our major cost saving and cash generation programmes, supporting investment and acquisition in other parts of our company. Didier will be a significant asset in driving growth in Brazil. John has been a great servant to the beer industry for more than 20 years in senior executive roles in HEINEKEN, Scottish & Newcastle and Foster’s. As Regional President Americas, John has overseen a significant increase in the scale of the Americas region via the acquisition and integration of the beer businesses of FEMSA in Mexico and Brazil. In more than 35 years with the business, Theo has built a track record of success in a variety of national and international leadership roles. Over the last two years, Theo has helped to build a new relationship with APB and has played a leading role in steering the acquisition and integration processes in relation to APB.”

These changes will result in a decrease in the size of the Executive Committee from 12 members to 11.

Background on Key Executives

Didier Debrosse (French; 1956)

Since 2005 Regional President HEINEKEN Western Europe. Joined HEINEKEN in France in 1997 as Sales and Marketing Manager, after having worked with Nivea and Kraft Jacobs Suchard, where he had various commercial positions. He was later appointed General Manager of Brasseries HEINEKEN in France. In 2003 he became Managing Director of HEINEKEN France.

Jan Derck van Karnebeek (Dutch; 1967)

Since 2012 Regional President HEINEKEN Central and Eastern Europe. Joined HEINEKEN in 1991. In 1999, he was appointed Commercial Director HEINEKEN, Slovak Republic. In 2001, he became General Manager HEINEKEN Beer Systems in the Netherlands. From 2006 until 2009, he managed HEINEKEN/CCHBC, Bulgaria and in 2009 became Managing Director HEINEKEN Romania.

Alexis Nasard (Lebanese; 1966)

Since 2010 Chief Commercial Officer. He spent 17 years with Procter and Gamble (P&G) in senior marketing and management roles. From 2006, Alexis was P&G’s General Manager of the Personal Care business for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

John Nicolson (British; 1953)

Since 2008 Regional President HEINEKEN Americas. John entered the beer industry in 1993 through Foster’s Brewing Group as Group Executive Director of the Courage business. In 1995, Scottish & Newcastle acquired the Courage business and he took up the role of Group Marketing Director. In 1998 John became Corporate Development Director. From 2000 until April 2008, he was an Executive Board member of Scottish & Newcastle.

Stefan Orlowski (Australian; 1966)

Since 2009 Managing Director HEINEKEN UK. Stefan joined HEINEKEN in 1998 as Sales, Marketing and Distribution Director for Zywiec in Poland. From 2003 until 2005, Stefan was Chief Operating Officer of Brau Union. In 2005 he became Managing Director of HEINEKEN Central and Eastern Europe. In 2007, Stefan was appointed Group Commerce Director HEINEKEN.

Roland Pirmez (Belgian; 1960)

Since 2008 Chief Executive Officer Asia Pacific Breweries Limited. From 1995 until 1998 Roland was Managing Director of HEINEKEN Angola. In 1998, he became General Manager of Thai Asia Pacific Brewery and in 2002 he took up the role of Chief Executive Officer HEINEKEN Russia. In 2008, Roland returned to Asia to take up his current role as Chief Excutive Officer APB.

Theo de Rond (Dutch; 1954)

Since 2011 Regional President HEINEKEN Asia Pacific. Joined HEINEKEN in 1978. From 1994 to 2001, he was responsible for sales and marketing at HEINEKEN Netherlands. In 2001, he became HEINEKEN’s Corporate Marketing Director. From 2003 to 2007, Theo managed the Company’s joint venture Guinness Anchor Berhad in Malaysia. In 2007, he was appointed General Manager of HEINEKEN’s joint venture Compañia Cervecerias Unidad (CCU) in Chile.