Molson Coors has appointed Phil Whitehead, an 18-year veteran of the company and, until now, general manager in Western Europe, as the next president and CEO of the EMEA & APAC region, a position he assumed on January 1.
Previously, Whitehead led Molson Coors’ supply chain functions for 12 European markets.
With more than 50% of the brands’ net revenues in the EMEA & APAC region coming from premium products, Molson Coors global CEO Gavin Hattersley believes Whitehead is the ideal person to lead this part of the business, thanks to his experience and ability to transform the company’s portfolio.
“Among Phil’s outstanding achievements is the launch of Madri Exceptional, our most successful innovation in years,”said Hattersley. “He has also led years of growth, including driving premium brands such as Staropramen, Pravha and Cobra, as well as diversifying beyond beer with the acquisition of Aspall Cyder.”
Whitehead, who began his career in 2006 in the UK and Ireland business, has risen through the ranks during his 18 years with the company.
In addition to his commercial success, Hattersley noted that Whitehead possesses the leadership skills necessary to guide the organization in EMEA & APAC.
A former chairman of the British Beer and Pub Association and an advocate for the brewing and hospitality industry in the UK, Whitehead expressed his delight at this new appointment with enthusiasm and expects to “take this next step with a company that has been my home for the past 18 years, while continuing to collaborate with my colleagues in EMEA & APAC and globally to drive the successful growth of our business.”
