5 Jun (Reuters) – Heineken’s major shareholders have urged the Dutch brewer to appoint an external chief executive to succeed Dolf van den Brink, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing two of the top 15 investors.
Brewery executives are torn between promoting an internal candidate or bringing in someone from outside,the newspaper added, citing sources familiarwith the matter.
Reuters could not immediately verify the FT report. Heineken did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
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Van den Brink stepped down on May 31, after nearly six years at the helm of the company, as the industry grapples with weak demand for beer.
Last month, Heineken said the search for Van den Brink’s successor was progressing well and was expected to be completed soon.
Two of the top 15 investors told the FT that the family-controlled group should abandon its tradition of promoting insiders and appoint an external candidate to recover performance.
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In February, Heineken said it would cut up to 6,000 jobs worldwide and lowered its expectations for earnings growth in 2026 as the brewer and its peers face reduced demand.
