Heineken Ireland has announced the appointment of Sharon Walsh as the company’s new managing director.
Walsh, who succeeds Maarten Schuurman from today, is currently the commercial director for Heineken Ireland.
She has held senior roles within Heineken Ireland and across the brewer’s global operations over the past 11 years.
Schuurman is leaving Ireland to take up the role of managing director of Heineken’s East and West Africa region from 1 April 2023.
In his new role, he will be responsible for Heineken’s operating companies in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Sierra Leone and Mozambique, and a joint venture business in Dubai.
Announcing Walsh’s appointment, Schuurman said that while he was sad to be leaving the Heineken Ireland business after four years to take up another role in the group, he could not wish for a better successor.
“Sharon has been a fantastic member of the management team for many years, and I wish her every success in her new role as managing director.
“Sharon’s broad business knowledge, leadership, creative drive and competitive spirit will be of great value to drive the next chapter of sustainable and responsible growth at Heineken Ireland.”
‘Great Team’
Walsh said that she is honoured to have been appointed managing director, and she is excited to take up her new role.
“We have a great team at Heineken Ireland, and I’m looking forward to leading the business and working with them, and our customers and stakeholders, to continue to take the business forward,” she said.
According to the brewer, Walsh has led the Heineken Ireland sales organisation in Ireland over the past three years – a period that was characterised by some of the longest and toughest hospitality sector Covid closures in Europe.
During this period, she showed huge resilience, as she maintained energy and momentum for the wider team, Heineken added.
A native of Dublin, Walsh has a degree and higher diploma in hotel and catering management, and a master’s degree in strategic international marketing from DCU.
She is married and has three children, and, in her spare time, she is a board member of the Gavin Glynn Foundation, a children’s cancer charity close to her heart.
Heineken Ireland, which employs 340 people at its historic brewery in Cork and across the country, produces and sells some of Ireland’s leading drinks brands.
Its portfolio includes Heineken, Heineken 0.0%, Birra Moretti, Coors, Orchard Thieves, Murphy’s, Beamish, and Ireland’s newest disruptor in the stout category, Island’s Edge.
© 2023 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more drinks news, click here. Click sign up to subscribe to Checkout.
