The Netherlands: Heineken appoints new Chief Officers for Supply Chain and Digital & Technology

Heineken today announced the appointment of a new Chief Supply Chain Officer and the company’s first Chief Digital and Technology Officer.

Magne Setnes, currently General Manager of Brau Union AG, Heineken’s business in Austria will succeed Marc Gross, who is going to retire as Chief Supply Chain Officer in April 2020, “following a distinguished and highly successful career at Heineken, spanning 25 years of which 15 years as Chief Supply Chain Officer and Executive Team member,” the company said in a media release today.

Magne Setnes joined Heineken in 2000 and has held a number of senior international leadership roles across Supply Chain, Commerce and General Management in The Netherlands, United States, and Austria.

A successor for Magne Setnes in Austria will be announced in due course.

Ronald den Elzen will join the executive team as Heineken’s first Chief Digital and Technology Officer. “The world is changing fast, with tremendous opportunities for the beer industry and Heineken. Consumers, customers and employees expect a seamless digital experience when they interact with all brands and the company. In 2019, ‘Connect in a digital world’ was launched as the fifth business priority. The appointment of our first Chief Digital and Technology Officer underpins the ambition to become the world’s most connected brewer,” Heineken said.

Having joined Heineken 25 years ago, Ronald den Elzen most recently served as Managing Director of Heineken USA. Previous roles have included Finance Director in The Netherlands and Heineken UK as well as Managing Director of Sociedade Central de Cervejas, the Company’s Portuguese business. Ronald’s appointment is effective immediately.

Jean-François van Boxmeer, outgoing chairman of the executive board and CEO at Heineken (inside.beer, 11.2.2020) commented: “I would like to thank Marc Gross for his enormous contribution to Heineken. Marc has been critical for managing the growth of this company. While during the last 15 years our volumes, number of breweries and number of brands grew significantly, he has made the complexity of our global supply chain feel easy. Today thanks to Marc and his global teams across our regions, we have a very high performing supply chain organisation. I am delighted by the appointments of Magne Setnes and Ronald den Elzen. They are two highly experienced and versatile Heineken executives who have a lot to bring to our company. Our Executive Team very much looks forward to working with them.”

Already three weeks ago, Heineken reported that Stefan Orlowski, currently President Europe, has decided to leave the company after 22 years to pursue his private entrepreneurial interests outside the company. He will leave before the summer, and his successor will be announced in due course.

Joining Heineken in 1998 as Sales, Marketing and Distribution Director for Zywiec in Poland, Stefan Orlowski then became Chief Operating Officer of Brau Union from 2003 until 2005. In 2005, he was appointed Managing Director of Heineken Central and Eastern Europe. In 2007, Orlowski became Group Commerce Director Heineken. Between 2009 and 2013, he was Managing Director Heineken UK where he achieved an impressive turnaround of the business. In 2013 Stefan Orlowski was appointed President Americas and member of the Executive Team. In 2015, Orlowski took on his current role of President Europe.

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