Heineken announced Monday that its chairman and CEO intends to step down from his position this spring.
The Dutch brewing giant said that Dolf van den Brink and the company’s supervisory board concluded that, following the implementation of a strategic roadmap through 2030, “this is the right time to hand over his responsibilities.”
van den Brink plans to relinquish his post at the end of May and will remain “available” in an advisory capacity for another eight months. The company announced the start of a search process to appoint his successor.
van den Brink became the chief executive of Heineken — the no. 2 brewer in the world — amid the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-2020 and dealt with a series of challenges over his nearly six years at the helm, including inflation pressures, declining sales and shifting consumer demand. Reuters reported that the resignation was announced “unexpectedly.”
“The past years have been marked by significant change as Heineken progressed through its transformation and has now reached a stage where a transition in leadership will best serve the company in further executing its long-term ambitions,” van den Brink said in the announcement.
“With the launch of EverGreen 2030, Dolf has set out a compelling strategy for the future of Heineken, and the supervisory board greatly values his contribution,” said Peter Wennink, the supervisory board’s chairman. “The next phase will focus on bringing this strategy to life.”
