NETHERLANDS – Dutch multinational brewing company Heineken has appointed career finance expert Harold van den Broek to be the company’s new Chief Finance Officer .

Harold will be succeeding Laurence Debroux who will be stepping down as the brewing giant’s CFO, after the company’s annual general meeting of shareholders (AGM) on 22 April 2021.

As she departs, Debroux had a successful 6 year stint at the multinational brewer.

Laurence DeBroux

She played a key role in steering the company through the Covid-19 crisis and shaping EverGreen- Heineken’s strategic direction exploring how to accelerate and expand sources of growth while simplifying and right-sizing cost base.

“Laurence leaves Heineken in a strong financial position and with the finance teams in great shape, thanks to her continuous drive to develop and nurture great talent. We wish her every success in the future,” Dolf van den Brink, chairman of the executive board and CEO of Heineken, said.

Heineken said that during the AGM, the company’s supervisory board will nominate Harold van den Broek to be appointed as executive board member and CFO at the AGM, for a period of four years.

Subject to shareholder appointment, Harold will join Heineken on 1 June this year, working with Debroux to ensure a smooth transition.

Van den Broek is coming to Heineken with more a wealth of finance experience spanning over 30 years.

He has held a range of finance roles in a  number of fast-moving consumer goods companies including as CFO hygiene at Reckitt Benckiser (RB) before he assumed his current role as President of the RB’s hygiene division.

He began his career at Unilever in 1991, living and working in Europe, across Asia and in Russia.

Harold van de Broeke

Jean-Marc Huët, chairman of the Heineken supervisory board, said: “I am delighted to welcome Harold to Heineken. We very much look forward to working with him and to benefitting from his proven delivery on strategy and considerable experience as a business leader.”

Heineken recently announced that it will cut 8,000 jobs as part of a strategy to restore its operating margins to pre-pandemic levels.

As part of its restoration strategy the company said it wanted superior top-line growth and would push its premium brands, such as Heineken, and zero-alcohol lager even more.

It also aims to become the best digitally connected brewer to serve consumers increasingly looking for beer online.

The brewer of Europe’s top-selling lager Heineken, says that ongoing COVID-19 restrictions meant 2021 revenue, operating profit and operating profit margin would be below levels in 2019, before the pandemic struck.

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