Heineken CEO Dolf van den Brink will step down on May 31, after nearly six years at the helm of the Dutch brewer, Heineken announced.

Van den Brink took over the leadership of the brewing group in June 2020, at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, also assuming the chairmanship of the executive committee. His tenure was marked by a particularly turbulent period, first with the global health crisis and, subsequently, with sharp cost inflation and falling sales, factors that pressured margins, stock performance, and returns for investors.

According to Reuters, the board of directors will now begin the process of selecting a new CEO to lead the company, which owns brands such as Heineken, Amstel, and Tiger. Van den Brink has agreed to remain available as a consultant for eight months starting in June, in order to ensure a smoother transition.

Fall in beer sales

Van den Brink's departure comes within a broader context of difficulties in the consumer goods sector, leading to the departure of several top executives. As Reuters points out, consumers have faced high living costs, which has affected sales, while factors such as adverse weather conditions and political uncertainty have frustrated repeated attempts to recover beer consumption.

The sector also faces new challenges, such as the emergence of alternative competitors, the popularization of weight-loss drugs—which can reduce food and beverage consumption—and changing consumption habits, especially among younger people.

During Van den Brink's tenure, Heineken was also affected by disruptions in markets considered strategic for growth, such as Nigeria and Vietnam, which penalized results. The company has been criticized by investors for repeatedly failing to meet its market forecasts.