Heineken appoints new UK managing director

Heineken has a new UK MD (Heineken PR image)

Getty Images for Heineken

15 December 2020

Heineken revealed on Tuesday that it has appointed a new managing director for its UK division.

The brewing giant said that is has signed David Flochel, who most recently served as chief executive of European self-service retail giant Selecta Group for four years.

Flochel, who has previously held senior positions at fellow brewing giant AB Inbev, as well as Mars, Unilever, and L’Oreal, is to take over from January 1 from interim managing director, Simon Amor.

Amor, who has been at the helm of Heineken UK since former boss David Forde stood down in July, is to return to his former role as off-trade director for Heineken UK.

The company said Flochel, who will report to the firm’s Europe-wide president Søren Hagh, “devised and implemented a successful growth strategy built on consumer and customer insights” while delivering bottom-line results for Selecta Group.

The brewing giant also noted that its new UK boss “joins with significant experience in consumer goods and business services across Europe and North America”.

Hagh said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming David to HEINEKEN. He is a proven leader with a deep and diverse experience in consumer goods. His authentic leadership style, customer centric approach and passion for developing talent are a great fit with HEINEKEN as we continue our journey as Britain’s leading pubs, cider and beer business.”

Flochel said: “It’s a great pleasure to be joining HEINEKEN. Our portfolio of brands, our route to market strength, and our great people and culture are unique and very inspiring to me!

"I am looking forward to working closely with our teams, our suppliers, customers and partners. I am confident that together we will emerge even stronger.”

It comes after the company's pub's business was fined £2million in October by the UK's industry watchdog after forcing its tenants to sell "unreasonable levels" of own-brand beers and ciders.

The Pubs Code Adjudicator found Heineken's Star Pubs and Bars -which has an estate of 2,500 pubs including 1,900 in England and Wales -"seriously and repeatedly" broke rules for 3 years.