The senior sales role at Coors Brewers has been split with the appointment of two new sales directors.

The role has been divided between former logistics director John Heynen and former MD of Coors independent on-trade business Steve Ellis, following John Holberry's vacation of the sales director role in January to become MD of C&C's Magners GB business.

The senior sales role has increasingly involved a higher workload with greater demands coming from Coors' retail and on-trade customers, said Coors.

Heynen will become sales director for Coors' retail customers and distributors in both the on and off-trades. He joined from PepsiCo four years ago and has held leading roles within its sales operation.

His new responsibilities will include developing brands such as Grolsch and Coors Light in the off-trade in the UK and Ireland.

Under the restructure, Ellis will oversee Coors' independent on-trade business with responsibility for customer service for wholesale clients and managing availability of the newer brands in the on-trade.

Like Heynen, Ellis worked in Coors' logistics division during his 14 years at the company.

In addition to the changes in the sales team, David Heede will join the Coors board as strategy director after spending 25 years in senior sales and finance positions at the company.

Sales of Coors' leading lager brand Carling dropped 3.2% to £360.7m in the year to 6 October 2007 [Nielsen], and Mark Hunter, chief executive at Coors Brewers, said he saw the new appointments as a timely response to the demands faced by the company.

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