Heineken has today announced that its CEO, Dolf Van Den Brink, will be stepping down as of 31 May. 

Following six years at the helm, the brewer said that Van Den Brink and the supervisory board have jointly decided that it is the right time to hand over his responsibilities. 

Heineken said that Van Den Brink has led the company through both turbulent and political times and leaves it with the Evergreen Strategy 2030 in place. 

To ensure Heineken has full access to Van Den Brink’s industry knowledge, the CEO has agreed to remain in an advisory capacity for a period of eight months, starting from 1 June. 

The board has further announced that it is now starting a search process to appoint a successor. 

Van Den Brink said: “After six years as CEO and more than 28 years at Heineken, I believe this is the right moment to transition leadership as the company prepares for the next phase of the Evergreen strategy.  

“The past years have been marked by significant change as Heineken progressed through its transformation and has now reached a stage where a transition in leadership will best serve the company in further executing its long-term ambitions.” 

Peter Wennink, chairman of the supervisory board, added: “The supervisory board is grateful to Dolf for his leadership and long-standing commitment to Heineken including guiding the company through a demanding period of transformation, delivering on Evergreen 2025 while navigating a challenging external environment. With the launch of Evergreen 2030, Dolf has set out a compelling strategy for the future of Heineken, and the supervisory board greatly values his contribution.”