Heineken UK MD Stefan Orlowski is to head up the company’s American operation from July.

Orlowski will replace retiring US boss John Nicolson and the company is expected to announce his UK successor in March.

The move is part of a major shake-up of the global management team as Heineken integrates Asian Pacific Breweries, which it acquired in September. Operations in Asia will be overseen by former APB CEO Roland Pirmez, who joins the executive committee as president of Asia Pacific.

The role of chief commercial officer is being axed, and current CCO Alexis Nasard will move to a new role as president Western Europe and chief marketing officer, with responsibility for branding and innovation.

Regional president Didier Debrosse will head up the Brazilian operation, while global sales are being siphoned off to another new role, president Central and Eastern Europe, headed by Jan Derck van Karnebeek.

Financial communications manager John-Paul Schuirink said the changes, which will take place on 1 April, were part of a new strategy that reflected the transformed business profile.

“Almost two-thirds of our volume is now coming from emerging markets,” he said. “With the acquisition of APB we have higher ambition.”

Heineken posted a 7.4% increase in full-year sales this week, with organic growth up 3.9% and EBIT up 8%. The company reported strong results across Asia Pacific, Africa and Latin America, which it said offset volume weakness in Europe.

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