Heineken Investors Urge Board to Hire External CEO
Major shareholders are reportedly urging Heineken to break tradition and appoint an external chief executive following the departure of Dolf van den Brink. The board remains divided on whether to promote an internal candidate or bring in an outsider to address tepid beer demand and profit growth concerns.
Top shareholders in Heineken are pressuring the Dutch brewer to appoint an external CEO to replace Dolf van den Brink. The demand follows van den Brink's departure on May 31 after six years leading the company through a period of cooling global demand. A leadership shift could signal a break from the family-controlled group's long-standing tradition of internal promotions to revive financial performance.
### Board Divided Over Leadership Path Two top-15 investors told the Financial Times that the board is currently split on the selection process. While some members prefer internal continuity, others advocate for an outsider to navigate the industry's current headwinds. Heineken recently stated the search for a successor is progressing and should conclude soon, though Reuters could not immediately verify the report and Heineken did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
