2nd Aug 2007 13:30
SABMiller PLC02 August 2007 2 August 2007 SABMiller - Senior Management Changes SABMiller plc announced today that Andre Parker, Managing Director of SABMillerAfrica and Asia, and Norman Adami, President and CEO SABMiller Americas, willboth be retiring from the company in the coming months. SABMiller Africa and Asia Andre Parker will be retiring at the end of September 2007 after 32 years ofservice. Under Andre's leadership the Africa and Asia region has grownsubstantially with EBITA, turnover and volumes up almost four-fold over a periodof eight years. In fiscal 07 the region accounted for some 30% of group lagervolumes and some 14% of sales revenue. In recognition of the current scale and future growth potential of the group'sAfrica and Asia interests, from 1 October 2007 the region will be split into twomanagement units. Ari Mervis is appointed Managing Director SABMiller Asia and Mark Bowman willtake up the role of Managing Director SABMiller Africa. Reporting directly toGraham Mackay, SABMiller Chief Executive, Ari and Mark will join the SABMillerplc Executive Committee (Excom), effective 1 October 2007. Currently Managing Director Australia, Ari Mervis was responsible for buildingSABMiller's successful Russian business and has most recently established thecompany's presence in Australia. Ari will head up a relatively small Asia huboffice, located in Hong Kong, which will support SABMiller's partnerships inChina, Australia and Vietnam and the wholly owned Indian business, and continueto grow SABMiller's interests in the region. Mark Bowman, currently Managing Director Kompania Piwowarska in Poland, hassignificant experience of both the beer and soft drinks businesses, havingpreviously been Managing Director of the company's South African bottlingoperation ABI. The Africa hub office will remain in Johannesburg, and will focuson further developing SABMiller's beer and soft drinks operations on the Africancontinent (outside of South Africa). Commenting on the management changes, Graham Mackay, Chief Executive, said: "Andre Parker has made an outstanding contribution to SABMiller, establishing aleadership position for the company in both China and India while maintainingstrong growth in the Africa region. I wish Andre and his wife Linda a long andhappy retirement. "I am confident that Ari and Mark, both experienced SABMiller managers, willcontinue to build our businesses in Asia and Africa and deliver further valueenhancing growth." SABMiller Americas SABMiller plc also announced today that Norman Adami, President and CEOSABMiller Americas, will be retiring from the company. For some time Norman has expressed a desire to retire and return to SouthAfrica, at an appropriate juncture, due to compelling family circumstances. Withthe transition of the Miller management team already fully completed and theintegration of the Group's Latin American businesses also well advanced, Normanwill retire from full service on 30 November 2007. Norman has served the business for 25 years and has been a member of theSABMiller Executive Committee for 13 years. He successfully managed SAB Ltd asManaging Director for 9 years and more recently led the Miller Brewing Companyas President and CEO from 2003 to 2006, completing the business turnaround andbuilding a sustainable platform for it to compete in the US marketplace. Inaddition over the last 12 months Norman has overseen the successful integrationof Grupo Empresarial Bavaria into the SABMiller group. Norman was able to make a unique contribution to SABMiller as President and CEOSABMiller Americas due to his experience and knowledge of the US and global beermarkets. Norman will not be replaced in this position. Tom Long, President and CEO of the Miller Brewing Company and Barry Smith,President of SABMiller Latin America, upon Norman's retirement, will reportdirectly to Graham Mackay, SABMiller Chief Executive, and will continue to serveas members of the SABMiller plc Excom. Commenting on the announcement, Graham Mackay, Chief Executive, said: "Norman has made an enduring contribution to the SABMiller Group and we willgreatly miss his wisdom, passion and commitment. One of Norman's legacies is thestrong management team that he has built up in the Americas. "I respect Norman's decision to move back to South Africa to support his familyand we wish them all success and happiness in this new phase of their lives." Ends Notes to editors: SABMiller plc is one of the world's largest brewers with brewing interests ordistribution agreements in over 60 countries across six continents. The group'sbrands include premium international beers such as Miller Genuine Draft, PeroniNastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell, as well as an exceptional range of marketleading local brands. Outside the USA, SABMiller plc is also one of the largestbottlers of Coca-Cola products in the world. In the year ended 31 March 2007, the group reported US$3,154 million in adjustedpre-tax profit and revenue of $18,620 million. SABMiller plc is listed on theLondon and Johannesburg stock exchanges. This announcement is available on the company website: www.sabmiller.com High resolution images are available for the media to view and download free ofcharge from: www.newscast.co.uk or www.sabmiller.com Enquiries:----------------- ----------------------- ------------------ SABMiller plc Tel: +44 20 7659 0100 Sue Clark Director of Corporate Affairs Tel: +44 20 7659 0184 Gary Leibowitz Senior Vice President, Investor Relations Tel: +44 20 7659 0119 Nigel Fairbrass Head of Media Relations Tel: +44 7799 894265 This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or issue or thesolicitation of an offer to buy or acquire securities of SABMiller plc (the"Company") or any of its affiliates in any jurisdiction or an inducement toenter into investment activity. This document includes "forward-looking statements". These statements maycontain the words "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "expect" andwords of similar meaning. All statements other than statements of historicalfacts included in this announcement, including, without limitation, thoseregarding the Company's financial position, business strategy, plans andobjectives of management for future operations (including development plans andobjectives relating to the Company's products and services) are forward-lookingstatements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,uncertainties and other important factors that could cause the actual results,performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different fromfuture results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by suchforward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based onnumerous assumptions regarding the Company's present and future businessstrategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future.These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement.The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate anyupdates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in thisannouncement to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regardthereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any suchstatement is based. Any information contained in this announcement on the priceat which the Company's securities have been bought or sold in the past, or onthe yield on such securities, should not be relied upon as a guide to futureperformance. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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