Carlsberg CEO Cees ‘t Hart has decided to step down from the company and depart by the end of this year’s third quarter.
“It has been a privilege leading Carlsberg the past eight years,” said Hart. “I’m immensely proud of the organisation and the results we as a team have achieved.”
He said the executive committee and extended leadership are strong, resilient, and well-aligned on the strategic plans and ambitions for SAIL’27 and confident of the company’s future.
Hart continued that staying for a few more months would allow him and the team to continue delivering on the plans for this year and accomplish the sale of the Russian business before Summer. Afterwards, he plans to focus on non-executive roles.
Henrik Poulse, chair of the supervisory board, said Hart helped deliver “remarkable results” during his time with the company and has been a catalyst for performance, achieving excellent results, and a true leader, ensuring the successful strategic transformation of the Carlsberg Group.
In 2017, the company was one of the first 10 companies – and the first brewer – worldwide to introduce science-based climate targets, aligned with the 1.5°C target in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, with a 57 per cent reduction in carbon emissions.
Under Hart’s leadership, Poulse said the group navigated significant challenges, including Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and the ongoing sale of the Russian business.
“On behalf of the supervisory board, I thank Cees for his extraordinary contribution to Carlsberg and wish him the best for the future,” he concluded.
The search for Hart’s successor is ongoing, and a further announcement will be made in “due course”, said the company.
