Brewing giant SABMiller Plc on Friday promoted the director of Colombian brewer Bavaria SA to head its Latin American unit, its most profitable business, to replace Barry Smith who is set to retire at the end of 2010.
Colombia’s Bavaria is currently SABMiller’s biggest business in Latin America. In his new role, Karl Lippert will report directly to group Chief Executive Graham Mackay, and join the group’s executive committee from January 1, 2011.
Lippert has been with the world’s second largest brewer since 1992 and has worked for the group in South Africa, Poland and Hungary before moving to Colombia following SABMiller’s purchase of Bavaria in 2005.
In the group’s last financial year to end-March 2010, Latin America account of 22% of group revenue, and 31% of operating profit.
