In order to accelerate the implementation of its established strategy, British American Tobacco (BAT) has announced a series of management board changes.
The group has created two new management board roles which will come into effect from 1 January 2019.
New Roles
Paul Lageweg will be appointed as the inaugural Director of New Categories, and will be accountable for driving growth, innovation, brand building, and consumer insights for its potentially reduced-risk products.
Mariana Bellini will become the new Director of Digital and Information, and will be responsible for driving digital transformation across the Group and further enhancing its digital consumer experience capabilities.
Lageweg is currently regional marketing manager, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, while Bellini, who only joined the company this year, is the current chief information officer.
The director of new categories will report directly to the chief marketing officer, while the director of digital and information will report to the CEO.
The group added that the roles of chief operating officer and group business development director will cease to exist, and all four regions will report directly to the CEO.
“We have an established and successful strategy to transform our business and the new roles we are announcing today will enable us to execute this strategy better and faster,” CEO Nicandro Durante said.
Personnel Changes
The cigarette maker also announced a number of personnel changes.
Tadeu Marroco, currently regional director of Europe and North Africa, will be appointed to a new management board role, director, group transformation.
Johan Vandermeulen, currently regional director of Asia-Pacific And Middle East, will succeed Marroco.
Guy Meldrum, currently area director for Australasia, will be appointed to succeed Vandermeulen as regional director, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.
Hae In Kim will be appointed as director of talent and culture designate, and will succeed Giovanni Giordano, currently group human resources director, on 1 April 2019.
Naresh Sethi, currently group business development director, will leave the company at the end of Q2 2019 having handed over responsibility at board level for IT to Bellini and for global business services and his other areas of responsibility to Marroco.
“Naresh and Giovanni have been instrumental in the success of our transformation to date and I would like to thank them both for their leadership and significant contributions to the Group and wish them all the best for the future,” Durante continued.
“This is an exciting time for BAT and it is important that the skill set and focus of the Management Board evolves to reflect the environment we are operating in today,” CEO Designate, Jack Bowles, said.
“The diversity, expertise, and experience that Paul, Marina, Hae In and Guy will bring, together with the depth of experience of the existing management board, will be key to enable us to accelerate the transformation of our business and capitalise on the great opportunities that lie ahead of us.”
© 2018 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
