Heineken CEO steps down
Heineken CEO and chairman Dolf van den Brink has revealed he will step down from the role this spring after nearly six years at the helm of the business.
The boss of the Dutch beer giant has informed the supervisory board that he will hand over his responsibilities from 31 May.
Timing
The departure from the role for van den Brink comes at a time when Heineken has already shown plans for a head office “reshape” with the company recently revealing that its restructure will “impact approximately 400 roles” with its workforce either facing “relocation” or “roles ceasing to exist”.
During his tenure, van den Brink has guided the company through both economic and political challenges all while making sure that the beer business’s EverGreen Strategy 2030 is in place, however, the beer business still endured a challenging third quarter last year and saw beer volume decline.
Despite ongoing challenges facing the beer industry, the board will now initiate a search process to appoint a successor and, in the meantime, Brink has also agreed to remain available to Heineken in an advisory capacity for a period of eight months from on 1 June 2026 to make sure a handover is smooth.
Partner Content
‘A transition in leadership will best serve the company’
Speaking about the decision, van den Brink said: “After six years as CEO and more than 28 years at Heineken, I believe this is the right moment to transition leadership as the company prepares for the next phase of the EverGreen strategy. 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.”
He assured: “Over the coming months, I remain fully focused on disciplined execution of our strategy and to ensure a smooth transition.”
‘A demanding period’
Peter Wennink, chairman of the supervisory board of Heineken, said: “The supervisory board is grateful to Dolf for his leadership and long-standing commitment to Heineken, including guiding the company through a demanding period of transformation, delivering on EverGreen 2025 while navigating a challenging external environment. 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.”
Wennink added: “The next phase will focus on bringing this strategy to life through disciplined execution of our strategic growth ambitions. With this in mind, the supervisory board agrees this is the right moment to start the succession process to secure strong leadership for the future.”
Related news
CAMRA and SIBA make it easier to find independent beer
