Post by Olu Akanmu

What does it signal when a 160 year old company recruits its CEO for the first time from outside its executive pipeline and not even within the beer/ alcoholic beverage industry? Heineken recent historical flat revenue and declining volumes, channel and retailer loyalty challenge at global level, price increases to make up for declining volumes and channel backlash suggests that the beer industry might be in search of new and fresh ideas. Rafael Oliveria is Brazilian ( not the traditional European #Heineken CEO), from a cofffee company , a former investment banker who crossed to running businesses across the world. Creating shareholder value and building investor confidence in Heinekens should be one of his strengh combined with strategic / people #leadership built in cofeee busines internationally. Yet the jury would be out watching. Do #Heinekens and the global beer industry need a fundamental reinvention given declining global beer consumption? And how much and how quickly can a 160 year old company be reinvented without unintended consequences? How would Heinekens explore the new or reinvent while keeping the best of its traditions that has made it an enduring successful company of more than a century? We wish Rafael Oliveira well as Heinekens writes new chapters in its business history which would make good and interesting business case studies? #management #strategy #fmcg #marketing #finance #ceos #cfos #cmos #businessschool