NIGERIA – The Beer Sectoral Group (BSG), a section of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), has announced the appointment of Hans Essaadi as Chairman of the Group with effect from 12th December 2022.
The BSG is a trade association comprising leading beer manufacturers in Nigeria i.e., Guinness Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, and International Breweries PLC.
Mr. Essaadi will now head the group whose mission is to develop the beer industry by encouraging sound professional practice among members and building an understanding of stakeholders to promote responsible drinking and the social acceptance of beverage alcohol in society.
The new appointee is the current Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Heineken-owned, Nigerian Breweries Plc.
He started his career 30 years ago with the Dutch brewer as a Sales Representative and subsequently took up progressively senior roles within the Group in Sales, Export, and Marketing.
Mr. Essaadi commenced his international career with Heineken Puerto Rico as the Country Manager, and thereafter became the General Manager of Brau Union International – the Heineken unit in Australia.
He has also served as the General Manager of Siroco, the Heineken Joint Venture with the Emirates Group in Dubai; and Managing Director of Heineken Malaysia Berhad, a listed Company in Malaysia.
Until his appointment to the current position in Nigerian Breweries Plc, he was the Managing Director of Al Ahram Beverages, the Heineken operating unit in Egypt.
Mr. Essaadi appointment comes a month since BSG named a new Chairman, Hugo Dias Rocha, who has moved on from his position as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of International Breweries Plc, to take up new responsibilities within the AB InBev Group.
Hugo Dias’ appointment came into effect on 1st November 2022, taking over the association’s top job from Baker Magunda who retired as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc on the 31st of October 2022.
Both Nigerian alcohol drinks companies, Guinness Nigeria and International Breweries, have named new organization heads.
International Breweries Plc promoted Mr. Carlos Coutino as the new Managing Director from the position of National Sales/Trade Marketing Director of the company, a position he had held since 2018, where he has demonstrated his experience and knowledge of strategic planning and commercial execution of the Nigerian market.
Meanwhile, Guinness Nigeria appointed the former Managing Director of its sister company Kenya Breweries Limited – Mr. John Musunga, as the new CEO.
Mr. Musunga, a seasoned leader with local and international leadership experience, joined KBL nearly 2 years ago following the promotion of Ms. Jane Karuku as the new Group Managing Director for the company’s parent company East African Breweries PLC in 2020.
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