Heineken’s UK managing director moves to C&C Group

The UK managing director of Heineken has left his post at the dutch brewer to become the chief executive of Tennent’s lager maker C&C Group.

C&C Group has lured Heineken’s UK managing director to become its new CEO.

David Forde, who joined Heineken in 1988 and has spent the last seven years running its UK business, will join C&C at the latest in early 2021, following the completion of a customary notice period, according to a statement from C&C.

The news comes after C&C said at the start of the year that boss Stephen Glancey was planning to retire and left at the end of February.

Starting out in sales and marketing, he was appointed general manager of Heineken UK in 2007 and played a key role in Heineken’s acquisition of Scottish & Newcastle in 2008.

In 2009, David returned to Heineken Ireland as managing director, before being appointed Managing Director of Heineken UK in 2013.

Stewart Gilliland, interim executive chairman, said: “We believe David has the requisite blend of brands, distribution and pub sector expertise to maximise the potential of our iconic brands and optimise the potential of our distribution capabilities.”

“I am extremely excited to be joining C&C, a company with great people, loved brands and a world class distribution infrastructure,” Forde said.

“I look forward, together with my new colleagues and the Board, to further building the business into the future.”

There have been a few board-level changes at C&C Group this week. Chief Financial officer Jonathan Solesbury has announced plans to retire in September, and will be replaced by Patrick McMahon, currently the company’s group strategy director.

In April 2018, the Dublin-based group, together with global brewer AB InBev, completed its acquisition of Matthew Clark, Bibendum and its other subsidiaries from Conviviality.

McMahon played a central role in C&C’s acquisition of the distributors.

Gilliland said McMahon’s progression through senior roles within the business and “integral role in the transformative Matthew Clark and Bibendum transaction make him the natural successor to Jonathan and ideal fit for this position.”

“The Board would like to thank Jonathan for his significant contribution to C&C over the past three years and we wish him well for the future.

As we navigate the current challenges and uncertainty of COVID-19, these appointments represent an exciting new era for C&C which we believe will deliver long term value for all our stakeholders.”