Heineken appoints tech chief to drive transformation efforts

Core Insights - Heineken is undergoing a significant transformation due to declining beer sales, influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, rising energy and supply costs, and changing consumer preferences towards no- and low-alcohol beverages [3][4] Company Restructuring - The company has initiated a restructuring process at its Amsterdam corporate office, resulting in the loss of 400 jobs and plans to lay off up to 6,000 employees, which represents about 7% of its workforce over the next two years [4] - CEO Dolf van den Brink announced his decision to step down at the end of May [4] EverGreen Strategy - Heineken's changes are linked to the EverGreen 2030 initiative, aimed at growth and future-proofing the business, which evolved from the original EverGreen 2025 plan launched in 2020 to address falling sales [5] - The EverGreen strategy emphasizes establishing a "digital backbone" through a multiyear digital transformation to modernize technology and standardize data and processes [6] Digital Transformation - The digital backbone initiative includes over 40 digital business platforms across various functions such as commerce, supply chain, and finance, aimed at scaling standardized capabilities [6] - Heineken has partnered with IBM to support the migration to SAP S/4HANA on Microsoft Azure [6] Leadership Changes - Romain Apert has been appointed as the new Chief Digital and Technology Officer, succeeding Ronald den Elzen, who is leaving after 31 years [6] - Apert brings over 25 years of experience, including a role as global CIO at Mars Inc., where he led digital transformation efforts [6] - He plans to advance the EverGreen 2030 initiative by focusing on deploying the digital backbone and leveraging data and AI [6]