E-Malt.com News article: Latin America: SABMiller announces senior management change in its Latin American unit

SABMiller plc announced on October, 22 that Barry Smith, President, SABMiller Latin America, will be retiring at the end of December 2010.

Mr. Smith has served the group for 26 years and has been a member of the SABMiller Executive Committee since 2005, when he was appointed President, SABMiller South America following the completion of the Bavaria transaction. He has been President, SABMiller Latin America since 2007. He originally joined The South African Breweries Limited (SAB Ltd) in 1984 and has held a number of senior positions in the group, including Marketing Director, SAB Ltd in South Africa, Managing Director, Kompania Piwowarska S.A. in Poland, and Senior Vice President, Market Development and Strategy, Miller Brewing Company, USA.

He oversaw the successful integration of Grupo Empresarial Bavaria into the SABMiller group, and under his leadership the Latin American region has grown to become the largest region in the group, with EBITA, turnover and volumes having increased substantially over the five years since completion of the Bavaria transaction. In the year ended 31 March 2010, the region accounted for some 21% of total group beverage volumes, 22% of group revenue, and 31% of group EBITA.

Karl Lippert, currently President of Bavaria S.A. in Colombia, will be appointed as President, SABMiller Latin America, based in Bogota, reporting directly to Graham Mackay, SABMiller Chief Executive, and will join the SABMiller plc Group Executive Committee, with effect from 1 January 2011.

Mr. Lippert has been with the Group since 1992, and has extensive experience in the global brewing industry. Prior to his appointment as President of Bavaria in February 2006, Karl was Managing Director of Kompania Piwowarska S.A. in Poland, and previously held senior positions as Managing Director of Dreher in Hungary, Sales and Distribution Director for SABMiller Europe, and various positions within SAB Ltd in South Africa, including General Manager, Distribution Services Manager and Operations Manager.


22 October, 2010