Guillaume Duverdier has been named the new Regional President for Africa and the Middle East (AME) at Heineken, effective 1 July 2025. This appointment also includes his addition to the company’s Executive Team. He will succeed Roland Pirmez, who is retiring after a distinguished 29-year tenure at the brewer.
Currently Managing Director of Heineken México, Duverdier has led the company’s largest operation since January 2022. During this time, he significantly improved financial performance and executed impactful strategic initiatives. He oversaw the expansion of Six, the 17,000-store retail chain central to the company’s regional strategy, and managed the launch of the Meoqui Can Factory, the first of its kind in the Heineken network. He also accelerated digital sales transformation and positioned Heineken México as the group’s top performer in water efficiency.
Having joined Heineken in 2000 after beginning his career at Procter & Gamble France, Duverdier brings with him a broad international leadership background. He has held key positions in France, the Bahamas, Tunisia, Egypt, Poland, Spain, and Mexico. He previously served as President & CEO of Heineken Spain before taking on his current role. A French national born in 1971, Duverdier holds a Master of Management from ESSCA and is married with three daughters.
Pirmez began his Heineken journey in 1996 in Angola and later held leadership roles in Asia and Russia, including General Manager at Thai Asia Pacific Brewery and CEO of Heineken Russia. He was instrumental in developing Heineken’s Asia Pacific presence, eventually serving as CEO of Asia Pacific Breweries.
His decade as Regional President AME was marked by resilient leadership through crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and major currency devaluations. Under his guidance, the region saw the formation of Heineken Beverages in Southern Africa through the 2022 acquisitions of Distell and Namibia Breweries (inside.beer, 15.11.2021). He also led the group’s entry into the Gulf region with the Sirocco Joint Venture, marking Heineken’s first major brewing footprint in the Middle East (inside.beer, 28.11.2024).
Dolf van den Brink, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board, commended both executives: Duverdier for his long record of operational excellence and Pirmez for his transformational impact on Heineken’s global growth, talent development, and commercial strategies.
