Heineken CEO Dolf van den Brink will step down on May 31, ending a nearly six-year run at the helm of the Dutch brewing giant.
Van den Brink has been with Heineken for more than 28 years, rising through the ranks to lead the company through a period of global expansion and strategic repositioning.
The move comes as Heineken continues to roll out its EverGreen Strategy 2030, focused on sustainability, premiumisation, and digital transformation across key markets. Van den Brink will remain available in an advisory role for eight months to support a smooth leadership transition.
“Leading Heineken has been the greatest privilege of my career, and this decision was one of the hardest I’ve made in my life,” van den Brink wrote on his LinkedIn account.
“Over the past six years, we’ve launched a fundamental transformation of the business, delivered EverGreen 2025, whilst navigating a challenging external environment. After recently launching EverGreen 2030, our bold strategy for the future, I believe the time is right for a leadership transition to bring this vision further to life.”
Peter Wennink, Heineken’s Supervisory Board chair, praised van den Brink’s leadership and said the board will now launch a global search for his successor.
“The next phase will focus on bringing this strategy to life through disciplined execution of our strategic growth ambitions. With this in mind, the Supervisory Board agrees this is the right moment to start the succession process to secure strong leadership for the future,” he said.
Heineken did not announce a timeline for appointing a new CEO.
In October, the Dutch brewer outlined an updated five-year plan aimed at driving growth with fewer resources, concentrating on key brands and markets. Under this strategy, Heineken expects mid-single-digit annual organic net revenue growth through 2030.
