Johannesburg - SABMiller veteran Tony Van Kralingen, who spearheaded the group’s global expansion before its London listing and headed its South African operation before relocating to London in 2008, is set to retire at the end of this year, the group said in a statement on Tuesday.
Van Kralingen, 57, has been with SABMiller for 33 years.
Van Kralingen was chairman and managing director of Plzenský Prazdroj A.S. - the brewer of Pilsner Urquell - in the Czech Republic from 1999 to 2003. This was SAB’s first foreign acquisition before listing in London and embarking on its global expansion.
Van Kralingen was then chairman and MD of SAB, overseeing its rebranding as part of a global group SABMiller. Since 2008, he has been director for group procurement, technical research and development and human resources.
“I must express my sincere gratitude to Tony for 33 years of outstanding contribution to SABMiller, and in particular for the past 12 years, in which he has served with distinction as a member of SABMiller’s Executive Committee,” CEO Alan Clark said.
Van Kralingen’s role will now be split into director for integrated supply and director for human resources.
ANA