Heineken announced in January that Dolf van den Brink would step down on May 31, kicking off a search for his replacement. More than four months later, the Dutch brewer has not named a successor, leaving the world's second-largest beermaker without a permanent CEO as it navigates difficult market conditions.
Peter Wennick, chairman of Heineken's Supervisory Board, said the selection process "is progressing well and is expected to be completed in the near term" but offered no specific timeline. The company is not appointing an interim CEO, which Wennick's comments suggest a decision may be close. Van den Brink will remain on in an advisory capacity for the next eight months.
Timing and scope of the challenge
Van den Brink led Heineken for six years and spent 28 years with the company. His successor will take on a global role: the brewer operates in 190 countries and is the top brewer in Europe.
Heineken is also cutting costs aggressively. The company has already announced job reductions of up to 6,000 over the next two years as it manages industry headwinds.
Innovation and strategy already in place
The incoming CEO will inherit a well-defined roadmap. Heineken's EverGreen 2030 strategy sets three pillars: accelerate growth in key markets, step up productivity through cost discipline and scale, and focus future-fit with digital transformation and sustainability.
The company is pushing into premium segments and beyond beer. Last week it launched Heineken Ultimate in Brazil, a premium variant with 97 calories (30 percent fewer than the regular version), a gluten-free formulation, and 3.5 percent alcohol. The brand is also expanding its alcohol-free portfolio, with Heineken 0.0 described as the world's top alcohol-free brew, and exploring categories like cider and canned cocktails.
Leadership upheaval across beverages
Heineken's CEO hunt is part of a broader leadership shake-up in the beverage and food industry. Henrique Braun became CEO of Coca-Cola in March. At Constellation Brands, Nicholas Fink took the top job effective April 13, replacing Bill Newlands. Nestle CEO Laurent Freixe departed following an "undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate," with Philipp Navratil, formerly CEO of Nespresso, stepping in. Suntory CEO Takeshi Niinami resigned in September over a drug investigation.